Interagency Fuels Academy

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What is the Fuels Academy? The Fuels Academy provides a structured, 3-year training and development program for new or recently hired Fuels Specialists to prepare them for full-performance in their positions. The academy won’t provide a degree, university credits or qualify someone for a GS-0401 position. It is designed primarily for employees who already have a degree and have been hired into 0401 positions. Technician (0462) or other positions may apply, but those who qualify for the 0401 series are given priority.

Eligibility: The Fuels Academy is available to USFS and BLM permanent employees in fuels-related positions. The target audience is newly hired or recently hired GS-0401-05/07/09 Fuels Specialist Trainees. While the Academy is designed around the needs of the GS-0401 Fuels Specialists, employees in other job series with a demonstrated need to perform fuels related work are also eligible to participate in the Academy as space allows.

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1. Recently Hired or Existing Fuels Positions: Recently hired employees, particularly those with less than two years’ experience in their current fuels-related position, may find the Fuels Academy program beneficial and are encouraged to apply. Those with more than two years’ experience at the GS-09 level or above may not find as much utility as the Academy is targeted toward entry level through early journey level performance.

2. National Fuels Specialist Trainee Hiring Initiative: HRM and WO-FAM are coordinating a national Outreach and Hiring process to fill GS-0401 fuels existing vacancies that haven’t begun Outreach and recruitment to create a cohort of fuels trainees to enter and progress through the Fuels Academy as a group. These vacancies will be filled with GS-0401-05/07/09 Fuels Specialist Trainees and all positions using this process have priority to attend the Fuels Academy. Supervisors with vacant GS-0401 fuels positions that are willing to fill with GS-0401-05/07/09 Fuels Specialist Trainees through this nation-wide hiring initiative may identify one or more vacant positions to be filled by filling out the Fuels Academy Nomination form. The nomination form asks the Supervisor if this is a vacant position they want to fill through the national hiring effort. If so, the WO-FAM HRM Liaison will contact the Supervisor directly to coordinate participation in this special hiring initiative with HRM.

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With budget modernization all travel, training and normal employee costs including employee salary, TOS, uniform(s), and other training costs are not covered by the Academy are the responsibility of the home unit (See Appendix A).

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Nominations may be submitted using the following link:

Interagency Fuels Academy Nomination Form: USFS

Interagency Fuels Academy Nomination Form: BLM

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A cohort of up to 20 participants is ideal.  If the number of nominations exceeds 20, the Fuels Academy may apply the following prioritization criteria to limit the participant list:

1. Representation from a broad spectrum of candidates from as many Regions as possible.

2. Preference for newly hired (less than 1 year) GS-0401-05/07/09 Fuels Trainee positions.

3. Recently hired (less than 2 years) GS-0401 Fuels positions.

4. GS-0460, GS-0301 or GS-0462 or other job series positions with fuels related duties.

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For more information or if you have any further questions regarding the Fuels Academy Program, please contact:

USFS:

Frankie Romero 208-630-4685

BLM:

Angie Simpson 208-807-1632

Forest Service Hiring:

Those forests submitting a nomination indicating their desire to fill one or more existing vacancies through the national outreach and recruitment process for GS-0401-05/07/09 Fuels Specialist Trainees, will be contacted directly by WO-FAM HRM Liaison. A call will be scheduled with HRM and all of the units participating and any questions regarding that process can be discussed at that time. For more immediate information on the national hiring process for Fuels Specialist Trainees, you may contact HR-FAM Liaison Lisa Renken or 480-417-9801.