New Member Onboarding

[JC004]

What processes does your unit currently have for onboarding new members (let's say from the first inquiry/visit through to the first promotion)?

Some units have formal programs for cadets (only accepting applications at certain intervals throughout the year, running a Training Flight, etc.).  I haven't heard much about localized senior start-up training.

What processes, guides, etc. do you think would be helpful for getting members started, beyond what exists now (or changes to what exists)?  An example might be a pamphlet of suggested training curriculum for new members. 

[Eclipse]

What is in the draft 52-10 not withstanding, I've seen a couple wings having new member / PD checklists that walk
a member from first intro to Lt Col.

Something like that would be very useful, especially if it contained some reverse-side cliff notes about what a member can, and cannot do at any given point of the becoming a member.

[MacGruff]

Unfortunately, my unit does nothing and that is something that I am hoping to help change.

My suggestions include holding an onboarding class for new members. This can be done quarterly.
Having one of the more experienced members take the new member in a mentoring relationship to help guide them. Should be a member who is a Captain or 1st Lieutenant. This mentoring should be for a monthly meeting/discussion to help get the newbie through the Level 1 stuff and in to the selection of a specialty.
Meeting with Professional Development Officer once through Level 1 to discuss specialties and what they mean as well as how to progress in them.
Regular reviews with Deputy Commander of Seniors or Squadron Leader.
The squadron should be keeping up with their achievements and get them the awards they earn as soon as possible

I do not think this is too much to do. Certainly in the one I'm in, this workload can be spread around so it's not too much of a commitment on any of the staff.

[JC004]

Unfortunately, my unit does nothing and that is something that I am hoping to help change.

My suggestions include holding an onboarding class for new members. This can be done quarterly.
Having one of the more experienced members take the new member in a mentoring relationship to help guide them. Should be a member who is a Captain or 1st Lieutenant. This mentoring should be for a monthly meeting/discussion to help get the newbie through the Level 1 stuff and in to the selection of a specialty.
Meeting with Professional Development Officer once through Level 1 to discuss specialties and what they mean as well as how to progress in them.
Regular reviews with Deputy Commander of Seniors or Squadron Leader.
The squadron should be keeping up with their achievements and get them the awards they earn as soon as possible

I do not think this is too much to do. Certainly in the one I'm in, this workload can be spread around so it's not too much of a commitment on any of the staff.

Were you planning on using the current mentoring guide for that?  I don't really know of many who use it, honestly.  Maybe a suggested onboarding process for all of CAP would change that.  Or maybe the mentoring setup needs changed?  I'm not sure.

[MacGruff]

Were you planning on using the current mentoring guide for that?  I don't really know of many who use it, honestly.  Maybe a suggested onboarding process for all of CAP would change that.  Or maybe the mentoring setup needs changed?  I'm not sure.

I'm a brand newly minted 2LT.    My suggestions are what they are because I was thinking what would have benefited me in my first few months in the fold.

I took the Office Basic Course on my own and saw the mentoring guide there and think it has good ideas in it. But, as I said in my previous posting, my unit does not - currently - do anything for new members.

[JC004]

Were you planning on using the current mentoring guide for that?  I don't really know of many who use it, honestly.  Maybe a suggested onboarding process for all of CAP would change that.  Or maybe the mentoring setup needs changed?  I'm not sure.

I'm a brand newly minted 2LT.    My suggestions are what they are because I was thinking what would have benefited me in my first few months in the fold.

I took the Office Basic Course on my own and saw the mentoring guide there and think it has good ideas in it. But, as I said in my previous posting, my unit does not - currently - do anything for new members.

CAP needs to start its onboarding process development with the new members; not with people who have been around forever.  That is how I developed programs for organizations in the past.  Some Major who has worked his way up to National doesn't remember what it was like to be brand new, what his greatest needs were, or what could have made it better.

[MacGruff]

CAP needs to start its onboarding process development with the new members; not with people who have been around forever.  That is how I developed programs for organizations in the past.  Some Major who has worked his way up to National doesn't remember what it was like to be brand new, what his greatest needs were, or what could have made it better.

I think it needs to be a balance between having  enough length of service to know the organization well enough to offer advice, yet not so far removed from their early days to be effective. That's why I was suggesting that it be a Captain or 1st Lieutenant.

When I started out my professional work life as an engineer, I was introduced to the company I was working for and its specific foibles by two people: one was an engineer who had been working at the same company for two years and could help guide me with all the rookie questions, and the other had 38 years of experience. This was a formal program at that company and worked really well.

I don't think doubling up is necessary and to limit the time commitment I am thinking that assigning one of the existing members to mentor one new member by having them meet once a month for a period of six months to a year would be sufficient and would be a help. My squadron has 49 Seniors in it. 17 of those are 1LT or CPT. Of those, four are very active with the cadets and the squadron so I would not add to their workload which leaves 13 available for mentoring. I doubt we recruit more than 6-8 new senior members a year. So, this means that each 1LT or CPT would have to be a mentor to one new member every other year.

[Elioron]

Unfortunately, my unit does nothing and that is something that I am hoping to help change.

My suggestions include holding an onboarding class for new members. This can be done quarterly.
Having one of the more experienced members take the new member in a mentoring relationship to help guide them. Should be a member who is a Captain or 1st Lieutenant. This mentoring should be for a monthly meeting/discussion to help get the newbie through the Level 1 stuff and in to the selection of a specialty.
Meeting with Professional Development Officer once through Level 1 to discuss specialties and what they mean as well as how to progress in them.
Regular reviews with Deputy Commander of Seniors or Squadron Leader.
The squadron should be keeping up with their achievements and get them the awards they earn as soon as possible

I do not think this is too much to do. Certainly in the one I'm in, this workload can be spread around so it's not too much of a commitment on any of the staff.

We generally have people come for at least a month before we do the paperwork.  That gives them a chance to make sure they want to be there and gives us a chance to decide if we want them there.  The Membership Committee does a quick up or down.

Cadets are put into a beginner flight until completion of Great Start or until C/A1C, whichever is first.  We try to run Great Start when we have 5 or more basics.

For seniors, the new Level 1 helps a lot as long as units actually take the time to do it the way it's supposed to be done.  There is also a Great Start guide for Seniors, but a lot of it is encompassed by the Level 1 training.  Several of your points are included in Level 1 now, such as working with the CDS and PDO to choose Duty Assignments and Specialty Tracks, developing a plan to advance in those tracks, and assignment to a mentor.  Keeping up with achievements and awards depends more on how vigilant your Personnel Officer is, but your mentor should be tracking that with you as well.

Don't be afraid to speak to your mentor/supervisor regarding your specialty track advancement.  They may not always approach you or bring it up, but most members tend to be good about responding when engaged.

[MIKE]

I prefer New Member waterboarding. 

Onboarding sounds weird.  I would probably call it orientation.

[JC004]

CAP needs to start its onboarding process development with the new members; not with people who have been around forever.  That is how I developed programs for organizations in the past.  Some Major who has worked his way up to National doesn't remember what it was like to be brand new, what his greatest needs were, or what could have made it better.

I think it needs to be a balance between having  enough length of service to know the organization well enough to offer advice, yet not so far removed from their early days to be effective. That's why I was suggesting that it be a Captain or 1st Lieutenant.

When I started out my professional work life as an engineer, I was introduced to the company I was working for and its specific foibles by two people: one was an engineer who had been working at the same company for two years and could help guide me with all the rookie questions, and the other had 38 years of experience. This was a formal program at that company and worked really well.

I don't think doubling up is necessary and to limit the time commitment I am thinking that assigning one of the existing members to mentor one new member by having them meet once a month for a period of six months to a year would be sufficient and would be a help. My squadron has 49 Seniors in it. 17 of those are 1LT or CPT. Of those, four are very active with the cadets and the squadron so I would not add to their workload which leaves 13 available for mentoring. I doubt we recruit more than 6-8 new senior members a year. So, this means that each 1LT or CPT would have to be a mentor to one new member every other year.

I'd say it should be largely designed by the new folks who still have that experience (the good and the bad) in mind, guided by the experienced folks.  What I did at my organization was interview every new volunteer and student (intern, practicum, etc.).  I got their input on 3 occasions each through the beginning of their time with the organization.  When I thought that I had a good sample size, I started the development of the orientation stuff - handbook, forms, the overall process, etc.  We field tested it on several groups of new people and made tweaks.  That's what CAP should do, I think.  That input on what confuses them, what's too much, what's not enough, how we could streamline and simplify, what questions they have, etc. is absolutely priceless.  When I compared the input of the experienced volunteers and management (how they thought we should approach it) to what the real new people said, the difference was like night and day.  The impact on the organization, the speed at which things got started, and how the new people perceived their experience (pleasant, easy, supportive, etc.) was very clear.

We generally have people come for at least a month before we do the paperwork.  That gives them a chance to make sure they want to be there and gives us a chance to decide if we want them there.  The Membership Committee does a quick up or down.

Cadets are put into a beginner flight until completion of Great Start or until C/A1C, whichever is first.  We try to run Great Start when we have 5 or more basics.

For seniors, the new Level 1 helps a lot as long as units actually take the time to do it the way it's supposed to be done.  There is also a Great Start guide for Seniors, but a lot of it is encompassed by the Level 1 training.  Several of your points are included in Level 1 now, such as working with the CDS and PDO to choose Duty Assignments and Specialty Tracks, developing a plan to advance in those tracks, and assignment to a mentor.  Keeping up with achievements and awards depends more on how vigilant your Personnel Officer is, but your mentor should be tracking that with you as well.

Don't be afraid to speak to your mentor/supervisor regarding your specialty track advancement.  They may not always approach you or bring it up, but most members tend to be good about responding when engaged.

I'm wondering how CAP can make it an ingrained part of the culture and processes, relatively consistent across the organization.  Having mentors and the actual approach to supervisors seems spotty across the organization.  From people I've spoken to, using Great Start and all seems spotty (I'd be interested to hear whether others think so, in their wings).

[SarDragon]

I prefer New Member waterboarding. 

Onboarding sounds weird.  I would probably call it orientation.

What he said!

[Elioron]

I'm wondering how CAP can make it an ingrained part of the culture and processes, relatively consistent across the organization.  Having mentors and the actual approach to supervisors seems spotty across the organization.  From people I've spoken to, using Great Start and all seems spotty (I'd be interested to hear whether others think so, in their wings).

It is in my experience also.  We had nothing when I started, and I remember that was pretty much the common theme of everyone when I went through SLS.

The new Level 1 requires the PDO, Commander, or designee to actually go over the material.  I think that's a great start to the process.  There is nothing to prevent commanders from simply checking members off in eServices, but that's really an integrity issue and I'd think higher echelons would see patterns to prevent such people from staying in that position.

[EMT-83]

The old Level 1 also required PDO and CC to actually go over the material.

[JC004]

I'm wondering how CAP can make it an ingrained part of the culture and processes, relatively consistent across the organization.  Having mentors and the actual approach to supervisors seems spotty across the organization.  From people I've spoken to, using Great Start and all seems spotty (I'd be interested to hear whether others think so, in their wings).

It is in my experience also.  We had nothing when I started, and I remember that was pretty much the common theme of everyone when I went through SLS.

The new Level 1 requires the PDO, Commander, or designee to actually go over the material.  I think that's a great start to the process.  There is nothing to prevent commanders from simply checking members off in eServices, but that's really an integrity issue and I'd think higher echelons would see patterns to prevent such people from staying in that position.

Yes; I noticed that in teaching at and running SLS and CLC.  I felt like we were teaching a Level One course at times, based on the knowledge level.  The only really knowledgeable people seemed to be those doing catch-up for promotions - filling in the gaps after a special promotion (or a handful of cadet-to-senior converts).

[Private Investigator]

For years we have been talking about mentoring new members. Some Units are very good and others do not have a clue. Onboarding, I thought was the finish product of "beaming me up Scotty!"

Cite please? Of course, CAPP 50-7 1 Dec 2004 and CAPP 50-8 19 Apr 2013 

[BHartman007]

Well, I started attending in February, went to 4 meetings, turned in my paperwork, waited on National to screw around for two months, and got on roll May 9th, and just got my 2dLt. promotion tonight.

I was kind of steered in the direction of the information, and invited to freely ask any questions, but there was no formal training or guidance from the unit itself. Most of what I've done I figured out on my own, with whatever help I requested.

In the first 6 months I did: Level 1, Basic Instructor Course, Officer Basic Course, Yeager, CP Tech exam, SLS and CLC, all before my first promotion.
I don't really feel like I have been lacking any training, but I did go find it on my own.

What could the unit do better to help new "hires"? I'm not really sure. I'll think on it a bit and probably come up with something.

I don't care much for the new level 1. I did the old one, my wife is doing the new one. HAVING to sit down with people to discuss things in the middle of the course is a headache. She finally got it wrapped up with the PDO tonight, but it has taken several meetings. I think it's too much of a "firehose" of information for someone just coming in.

[Panache]

I don't care much for the new level 1. I did the old one, my wife is doing the new one. HAVING to sit down with people to discuss things in the middle of the course is a headache. She finally got it wrapped up with the PDO tonight, but it has taken several meetings. I think it's too much of a "firehose" of information for someone just coming in.

Well, that's kind of a double-edged sword.

It's nice that the new Level 1 pretty much forces the PDO / DDoS / Squadron CC to sit down with new members and go over this stuff.  But, along the same lines, it's kind of a drag that the new Level 1 pretty much forces the PDO / DDoS / Squadron CC to sit down with new members and go over this stuff.  Only because the PDO / DDoS / Squadron CC usually has other hats to wear as well, and it's difficult to sit down with somebody for an extended length of time to have deep discussions about the core values and history of CAP when you're trying to get all of the other hundred vital jobs that need to be done completed in the span of a two-hour weekly meeting.

Does it need to be done?  Yes.  Is this the way to do it?  I don't know.  I don't have any other suggestions, but I've seen one new person just stop coming to meetings when they got through the new Level 1 and ended up "stalled" because the PDO / DDoS / Squadron CC simply didn't have enough time to do Level 1 "right" (as opposed to just signing off on it) when they had vital tasks to complete and deadlines to meet.

[a2capt]

When I started in 2001, Level I was done locally every other month or so, as a 1 day course. With the move to the online forms that vaporized.

There's talk of doing it similarly, that way again, 'round these parts.. now that it's got a little more substance to it again.

[Panache]

As my first round as a Senior Member, a brand-spanking-new 18-year-old SMWOG in South Florida back in the early 90's, I remember taking Level 1 with a bunch of other newbies in an aircraft hanger with an old-fashioned slide projector and an ancient CRT television hooked up to a VCR.

[a2capt]

Probably the same VHS tape content that I imported to Final Cut Pro in mid 2002, to ultimately create a DVD with chapters, as well as edit out some sections covering phased out uniforms, and edit in additions.

Still have that thing someplace. I think I even started to change it again with the 2005 39-1..