In this episode of Contracting Conversations, we’ll learn about one of DoD’s newest recruitment programs and pick the brain of someone who could be a future leader in the workforce.  How is the next generation preparing for public service? And what are they doing to learn problem solving strategies?

We sit down with educator and changemaker Karen Thornton to discuss the Defense Civilian Training Corps and, Belle Higginbotham, a Purdue student who was competitively selected for the program. 

This is part of the Contracting Conversations series taped during the Nexus 2024 conference in Jacksonville, FL.

DCTC website:  https://dctc.mil/

DCTC LinkedIn Site:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/defense-civilian-training-corps-dctc/

Defense Aquisition Magazine Article, May/June Issue:  https://www.dau.edu/library/damag/may-june2024/culture-of-care  

Army ALT Magazine DCTC Article: https://asc.army.mil/web/news-civilian-workforce-of-the-future/   

DoD article on DCTC: https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3520672/acquisition-program-is-talent-pipeline-to-prepare-students-for-dod-civilian-car/

Acquisition Game Article:  https://acqirc.org/news/gaming-the-system-dctc-scholars-master-defense-acquisition-through-play/

DCTC Program FAQs:  https://dctc.mil/docs/faqs/DCTC-Student-FAQs-42023-FINAL.pdf

2024 NEXUS site:  https://s6.goeshow.com/ncma/nexus/2024/index.cfm

2025 NEXUS site:  https://ncmahq.org/Web/Web/Events/Nexus.aspx

DAU YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@defenseacquisitionuniversi5631

DAU Media Channel:  https://media.dau.edu/  

DAU website:  https://www.dau.edu/

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