Original Date: 08/20/2001
Revision Date: 12/14/2006

The Continuing Education Program at Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Surface Systems fosters a cost-free continuous learning environment in partnership with the local community college. The program provides employees with the opportunity to enhance their professional skills knowledge, and provides employees and their spouses the opportunity to receive personal development training.

Proactively established by an employee committee, the Continuing Education Program (CEP) is an after-hours, cost- free training and development program aimed at providing professional and personal development opportunities to employees at Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Surface Systems (NE&SS-SS). The personal development training is also available to employee spouses. This dynamic program is managed by an all- employee, cross-functional committee in partnership with Burlington County College, a local community college, for administrative support and instructor validation and payroll.

All of the instructors in this program are employees of Lockheed Martin NE&SS-SS, and are recognized as subject matter experts (SMEs) in their respective areas. The company pays their salaries for teaching the courses. Prior to being selected, potential instructors receive training in teaching techniques and are certified by the local community college. By having in-house SMEs teach the classes, the company ensures that the subject is applicable to the needs of the students. Professional development courses are those which meet the business technology needs of the employees. Personal development courses are those requested/suggested by employees such as retirement planning, CPR, financial planning, and quick-fit exercise classes. All training is conducted after working hours for the benefit of the employees, spouses, and instructors. Fall and Spring semesters consist of 10- to 12-week sessions. The committee reviews and selects the course offerings for each upcoming semester.

Since CEP’s inception over 15 years ago, more than 900 employees and their spouses have participated (an increase of 450%), and course offerings have increased from 10 to nearly 30 courses per semester. The continuing growth and success of the program contributed to Lockheed Martin NE&SS-SS winning the New Jersey Quality Award in 1994, and to two Malcolm Baldrige site visits in 1997 and 1998.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.