2.6.2 An Approach to Develop a Systems Engineering Curriculum For Human Capital and Process Improvement

Abstract

AbstractThis paper describes the approach taken by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop a Systems Engineering curriculum. The curriculum is designed and intended to support broader Agency initiatives for improving workforce professionalism, as well as product development and in‐service operations life‐cycle processes. It focuses not only on the knowledge base needed to perform satisfactorily as a systems engineer in the FAA, but also on the behavioral competencies needed for effective interactions in the FAA's team‐intensive system development environment. The required knowledge and behavioral competencies were defined first, and then an integrated professional development approach was conceived that stresses the acquisition of needed skills and competencies through a combination of on‐the‐job assignments and experiences, formal education and training courses, and self‐guided learning. The FAA's curriculum development approach provides a useful model for other organizations with similar goals and objectives to consider.