UPWARD MOBILITY IN CRS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000600100015-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 4, 2017
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2005
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: April 15, 1974
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release ? R.D 0015-2
TAT
15 April 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: Associate Deputy Director for Intelligence
SUBJECT Upward Mobility in CRS
1. This memorandum responds to your request for a
summary of CRS actions to effect upward mobility among
its staff members.
Vacancy Notice System
2. With the exception of short announced periods
when the system is terminated because of major office
reorganizations or a large number of vacancies in senior
positions, CRS has operated a vacancy notice system for
grades GS-06 through GS-15 for over ten years. The
qualifications for the announced professional vacancies
generally require a college degree or equivalent work
experience. The latter requirement, if the individual
has a demonstrated work performance, is emphasized
in selection. The most convincing evidence that the
vacancy notice system is providing CRS employees with
opportunities to advance are the statistics on the
current CRS management structure. CRS has 1 division
chief (out of 9), 6 branch chiefs (out of 21) and 8
section chiefs or the equivalent without college degrees
and who generally have advanced to their positions
on the basis of strong performances in CRS or elsewhere.
Special Training/Selection Programs
3. Utilizing this same vacancy notice system, CRS
has implemented two programs to identify promising cleri-
cal employees for higher-graded professional and technical
positions. In May 1972, a vacancy notice for two GS-09
document analyst positions was announced with applications
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open to anyone in grades GS-05 and above. Twenty-eight
individuals applied--15 GS-05s, 3 GS-06s, 9 GS-07s
and 1 GS-08. All were given the PETB and all but two
were given a CRS-administered indexing test. On the basis
of their performances and their test scores, three indi-
viduals were selected--2 GS-05s and 1 GS-06. Two of the
three succeeded and are currently in professional
positions.
4. A similar program was employed for the selection
of computer programmers. In response to a vacancy
announcement, 25 clericals expressed interest in becoming
computer programmers. Ten of the individuals who applied
were interviewed and were given a Brandon programming
aptitude test. Three were selected and embarked upon
a programming training schedule. All are still in
programming positions and have received promotions to
higher grades.
External Clerical Training
5. CRS has a very active training program for both
its professional and clerical employees. An office-wide
draft training policy was issued in July 1972 that defines
the responsibilities of CRS managers regarding training
and states the training philosophy of the D/CRS. The
policy statement covers internal training; clerical,
management, and academic training; professional meetings
and conferences and so forth. The general thrust of the
training policy is that sponsored courses need not be CRS
job-related but Agency related. Since the publication
of the policy statement, there has been a dramatic increase
in external training. As evidence that CRS clerical
employees are taking advantage of this liberal training
policy, figures on their participation for the academic
year 1973-74 are as follows:
Approved ForN~ 0Q f id/22 :m ;i u Al X000600100015-2
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SUBJECT: Upward Mobility in CRS
Training Programs Sept-Dec 1973 Jan-Mar 1974
No. of No. of No. of No. of
Students Courses Students Courses
Off Campus 10 10 8 8
Local Universities 4 6 4 10
Other 4 4 8 13
In-House Clerical Training
6. CRS has originated several training programs with
and without OTR sponsorship to improve clerical skills and
to enable employees to move up into higher positions. In
1970 and 1971, at the special request of CRS OTR conducted
two four-to-five week special clerical typing courses.
The purpose of the course was to give those clerical
employees who could not pass the Agency typing test
special training in order that they could meet Agency
typing standards. Many of these employees had had numerous
OTR clerical refresher courses but were unable to pass
the typing test at the completion of the regular OTR
courses. In the first course out of an enrollment of
nine, two qualified and in the second course, out of
an enrollment of nine, three qualified. All five of
the individuals moved to higher-graded positions as a
result of this training. Unfortunately, OTR was unable
to continue the course.
7. The Office has several other programs for its
clerical employees. One program that was recently begun
in FEPAC Division has as its purpose to provide clerical
employees in that division with a broader view of all
the division programs. Clericals meet once a month for
briefings and demonstrations and to participate in discus-
sions on division activities. The Office also has an
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SUBJECT: Upward Mobility in CRS
orientation program for all new employees both clerical
and professional. This course is designed to give new
employees a basic orientation to CRS programs. The parti-
cipants are provided briefings by senior personnel within
the office. Three sessions have been held to date.
Groups average 15 to 20 employees and feedback has been
quite favorable.
Upgrading
8. The Office has worked quite closely with the
Office of Personnel to identify clerical positions within
CRS that should be upgraded based on the responsibilities
of the position. In October 1973, 18 GS-04 records clerk
positions were upgraded to GS-05. The Office is currently
engaged in upgrading selected GS-07 intelligence assistant
positions to GS-08. As of this date, 6 GS-07 positions
have been upgraded to GS-08.
Black Professionals
9. CRS currently has on board 13 black professional
employees. With the exception of the last black professional
EOD, 12 of these professionals EODed as clericals and
advanced to their positions by virtue of the CRS vacancy
notice system and upward mobility training programs.
10. The Office will continue to implement, where
needed, additional programs that will improve the caliber
of office programs and at the same time permit the growth
of its employees both clerical and professional. I feel
that the CRS programs are much more successful than a
formalized upward mobility program because the CRS programs
operate as an integral part of office management. It
was because of these successful on-going programs that
I rejected the offer of Tom Holmes to establish an office-
wide upward mobility program.
Director, Central Reference Service
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SIGNATURE
Remarks :
Memo on CRSw i.ty program
requeste ,during t ~4 6 March
meeting4"on CRS objectives.
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