EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Civilian Guardian Jumpstart (CGJ) course, an innovative new program at Space Systems Command (SSC), formally launched with a class of 15 new-to-role civilian acquisition program managers hired since late July.
The program provides an accelerated introduction to SSC’s culture and mission context, serving as tailored preparation, connecting elements of organizational and functional onboarding and the 10-week Acquisition Initial Qualification Training (AIQT) course, which provides foundational knowledge, skills, practical experiences, space-specific scenarios, and experiential learning for new military and civilian acquirers to perform effectively in their first acquisition assignment.
“Entry-level civilian acquisition program managers joining SSC arrive into a complex acquisition environment shaped by space-domain threats, rapidly evolving technologies, and SSC-specific organizational structures and processes,” said Laura Shindlebower, director, SSC’s FLDCOM Program Management Functional Office.