Upskill Intensive Week delivers impact at NASIC

Published Oct. 27, 2022
By Senior Airman Kristof J. Rixmann
National Air and Space Intelligence Center Public Affairs

Classroom and class attendees. — National Air and Space Intelligence Center personnel attend an Analytic Tradecraft Evaluation Program course Sept. 27 during UpSkill Intensives – a professional development week put on by NASIC at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The program offered 33 courses tailored into three categories: essential skills, shared knowledge of Python and machine learning, and mission briefs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristof J. Rixmann)

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The National Air and Space Intelligence Center’s Directorate of Personnel successfully wrapped up its first offering of UpSkill Intensives – a weeklong, no-cost professional development event that ran Sept. 26-30.

Nearly 550 NASIC military and civilian members participated in one or more of the 33 course offerings. Of these, 17 courses covered essential skills, 13 shared knowledge of Python and machine learning, and three provided mission briefs.

Person teaches attendees in a classroom. — Kym Yahn, Sinclair University’s Workforce Development senior training consultant, teaches a class Sept. 27 on Objective Self-Editing during UpSkill Intensives, a professional development event hosted by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The weeklong program featured instructors from within both NASIC and local universities, providing a diverse, yet tailored learning experience. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kristof J. Rixmann)

By breaking up the courses into these three categories and recruiting instructors from within both NASIC and local universities, the event provided a diverse, yet tailored learning experience for participants. It’s an approach Sharon Heilmann, NASIC Workforce Development Division chief, said organizers plan to maintain.

“We will continue to invite NASIC’s subject-matter experts to offer classes in machine learning, as well as collaborate with local academic partners to offer essential-skills courses,” she said.

Heilmann’s office plans to continue offering UpSkill Intensives on a regular basis. She expects the training event’s benefits to increase as feedback is incorporated.

“We will continue to evolve our offerings every quarter to include the high-demand courses that resonated with our workforce for this offering, as well as feedback we are receiving from course evaluations, center-wide needs assessments, focus groups, and inputs from senior leaders and supervisors,” she said.

The next UpSkill Intensive Week is scheduled for February.