Recommendation: 

NASA Advisory Council Recommendation 

Workforce Skill Mix 

2012-02-02 (CSC-Ol) 

The Council recommends that as NASA evolves its workforce skill mix and human capital 

planning to accommodate the Agency's future direction in the post Space Shuttle era, the unique 

skills needed for effectively overseeing commercialization initiatives should be considered and 

secured. 

Major Reasons for the Recommendation: 

Clearly, NASA will need many of the same skills that flew Space Shuttle safely to manage their 

commercial launch providers and ensure commercial crew transportation safety. However, 

overseeing commercialization initiatives also requires skills and experience in areas such as 

business development, business analysis, and business operations, which do not appear to be 

currently available in great depth in the Agency. NASA should address this gap through 

training, recruitment, and/or other personnel actions. 

Consequences of No Action on the Recommendation: 

The Agency's workforce will continue to lack the depth in some critical skills and experience 

needed to effectively oversee commercial space initiatives. 

NASA Response: 

NASA agrees with the intent of the Committee's recommendation but does not agree there is a 

lack of depth in the skills and expertise needed for effectively overseeing commercialization 

initiatives. As the Committee pointed out, the employees now assigned to the Commercial 

Programs have brought with them many of the skills required to manage and operate the Space 

Shuttle. As part of the transition of employees from Shuttle program to NASA's Commercial 

and other Human Space Flight programs, the Agency continues to address developmental needs 

on an on-going basis - for example through specialized training and development (internal and 

external classes and programs) - as employees build their capability to support new programs. 

For example, curricula of development programs offered to NASA employees include topics 

relevant to commercialization - programs such as the Business Education Program, International 

Project Management course, and International Space University Space Studies Program. NASA 

also provides access to more than 30 online courses on subjects such as business analysis, 

business execution, commercial environment, and business operations. 

In addition to skill development and enhancement for current employees, the Agency, Centers, 

and Commercial Program have a number of tools available to address skill gaps as they are 

identified or emerge. Civil service capability will continue to be enhanced through targeted 

hiring that is responsive to Program requirements. It is possible to acquire expertise externally 

Enclosure 
2 

through the use of external experts and consultants, Intergovernmental Personnel Agreements, 

and temporary appointments. The Agency can draw upon this external expertise on an as needed 

basis to meet Program requirements andlor it can be used to infuse new skills into the permanent 

NASA workforce. As our understanding of the skills requirements matures, we will work with 

the Program and Centers' Human Resources Offices to identify skills imbalances and additional 

tools needed to address them.