Non-Professional Staff Promotion Prospects

jjudd

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Why do we require that Professional Staff Members have college degrees? While I don't deny that a degree has its place, couldn't we accept Non-Professional Staff Member experience as an equivalent?

Many Non-Professional employees have dedicated years of their life working for Scouting. Their knowledge and experiences are valuable resources that could be put to use in Professional Staff positions. Instead, we risk losing those skills because this requirement prevents many of them from “moving up the corporate ladder”.

Perhaps it’s time to consider re-evaluating our hiring strategies to make it possible to recognize and profit from our own “homegrown” talent?

Idea # 155Internal,

Moderator Comments

11/14/08
From: Carol Barnes, Employment & Retention Manager

Great question and one that Talent Management and HR Administration has been reviewing due to the changing job market and to help ensure the right person is placed in the right position at the right time. As a matter of fact, we have recently developed a program that allows for life and job experience to be considered in place of a college degree. Councils are able to request a wavier for the college degree – several have been granted at this writing. We feel this will help BSA continue to be the best youth serving organization. Information provided would be applicable to the National office as well as local Councils

Comments

mbarbern 1 year ago

That change has already been made. "Life experiences" can now help qualify a person to be a professional Scouter.

jjudd 1 year ago

While I'm glad to here that "Life Experiences" are now considered for qualifying for a Professional Staff Position, I have never heard about such a program until your reply. Where can I find out more about this exciting change?

mbarbern 1 year ago

Your regional HR person should be able to fill you in on this change.

pmaskovi 1 year ago

How about going to college and getting a degree. That's what the rest of did. You shouldn't get something for nothing.

pcowan 1 year ago

pmaskovi: I would say to this that this is a poor use of resources. How many of us got that little piece of paper with a degree and we are actually in the field we took the degree in? How many very successful business owners across the country did not even go to college?

Yes, we do have a tremendous nonprofessional work force behind the scenes, and if they want to abuse their lives like the rest of us have agreed to, then I say let them. Sitting in a classroom for 4 -6 years does not make a person any more qualified for this job than someone who has worked for us for 10-15+ years and has very knowledgeable indepth experience with BSA.

From what I gather from the National convention, people with life skills are going to be looked at very hard and jump the traditional ranks past most all of us. I have a person currently working for me, who has enough life skills and has brought enough to the table already to be a development director or higher. If anything, our current model is holding him back from taking our council to the next level.

Don't be shortsided.

pmaskovi 1 year ago

I disagree. Going to college and getting a degree shows that a person has enough self-discipline to buckle down and accomplish something. It is easier now than ever to get a degree. Between night classes and online couurses there is no good reason why a quality person can't get a college degree. Alot of us worked very hard to get a degree, and managed to work full-time while doing it. It is not impossible.
I do think that the BSA needs to indentify quality people regardless of their degree status and then perhaps help them to go to college and get their degree through tuition reimbursments.
pcowan, you should encourage and enable your development director to get a degree. It will be something they can take with them no matter where they end up in life. To not do so is a disservice to that person.
The BSA should be an organization where people are encouraged and enabled to constantly be growing and bettering themselves.
FYI I believe the term you wanted to use is "Shortsighted". "Shortsided" is when the other team has more player on the field nthan you team

Judy Sizemore 8 months ago

Status Changed from Active to Complete.

Judy Sizemore 5 months ago

Status Changed from Complete to In Progress.

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