What is a CDP?

• It's used by Career Field Teams (CFT), in concert with each career field’s senior leadership, to assess employees' achievements and goals
• Provides feedback (mentoring) from Development Team (DT), supervisor or Career Field Manager (CFM)
• Projects potential training and leadership positions that may fit individual skills and goals
• Encourages communication between the employee, the supervisor(s), and the endorser(s) as well as with the CFT
and senior leaders. Facilitates an avenue, via the DT, for employees to make known to senior leadership their career goals, achievements and interests
• Allows employees to be considered for some of the career field’s unique opportunities

Why is it Important?

• It's used collectively to better manage entire career fields
• Provides feedback and gives advice/direction that can be used to achieve your professional career goals
• Provides senior leadership with information to better develop future leaders
• It is a MANDATORY step to be considered for certain career opportunities:
• Career Broadening (CB) Positions (Permanent Change of Station required)
• Air Command and Staff College Online Master’s Program (ACSC-OLMP)
• Defense Civilian Emerging Leader Program (DCELP)
• Leadership Development Training
• Tuition Assistance
• Career Vectoring

Employee’s Responsibilities

• Ensure accuracy of the CDP package submission to include properly formatted resume
• Complete all sections of the CDP Form in its entirety (Personnel Information, Professional Goals, and Justification)
• Follow CDP resume format—don’t make "unique". Want same information, same format for each applicant
• Show return on investment to the Air Force in the “Justification” section of the CDP Form
• Short and long term goals should be reasonable and clear
• Short term goals should show how the requested developmental opportunity will be utilized
• Long term goals should show how the AF will benefit from the opportunity in terms of future capability

Supervisor’s and Endorser’s Responsibilities

• Validate employee’s eligibility and write the endorsement nomination yourself. It's okay to have an employee provide
bullets, but the package loses credibility when it appears the employee prepared their own endorsement
• Discuss the nomination with the employee
• If you're not sure, discuss with a CFT representative
• The strength of your endorsement really matters
• Leadership potential is critical, particularly for CB opportunities
• Know the employee's record - your endorsement should be consistent with their achievements
• Highlightsignificant achievements/recognition
• Assess the employees current state – Ready, Groom, On-Track, or Current Assignment (definitions available on FS SharePoint Site: https://cs.eis.af.mil/sites/10356/default.aspx)
• Return-on-investment states how proposed developmental opportunity will benefit the Air Force in the long-term
• Follow-on assignment - what do you recommend the employee do next to build on the opportunity
• Employees need to ensure they have submitted the appropriate information needed for the DT, specifically:
• All required items are complete,
• Information provided is accurate,
• You, as the endorsing official, agree with employee’s goals/desires and will strongly endorse

Tips for Completing a CDP

• Use the Professional Goals or Justification sections to specify your programs of interest
• Ensure that short and long term development goals reflect career and responsibility progression
• CDP must be signed by employee, current supervisor and endorser, digital signatures preferred