DE Training

[Eagle2000]

Hello everyone. I am currently being considered for a DE position. I'm wondering what the training process is for a new DE. I've heard that to be fully trained takes three years but I don't know the details. Do I go straight to Texas for training before I take on any responsibilities? How long am I there and what am I doing there? How often do I have to return to Texas? Any information you guys can provide would be great. Thanks!

[jhankins]

Congrats on being considered for a professional position.

 

If you weren't told ahead of time, being a DE requires a huge skill set -- sales, marketing, leadership, project management, recruiting,

 

Fully trained DEs never really stop being trained, but through years 1-3 you're considered in the beginnings of your career. The Darth Vader knot pros wear takes 5 years to earn, and includes taking courses outside pro training such as Wood Badge.

 

Once you're hired you're hired on a probationary basis. Your hire is contigent upon you passing the Professional Development- Level 1 course held in Westlake, TX and the Center for Professional Development. You'll have 90 days to take all the fast start trainings, become familiar with your district, your statistics (TYP, TYS, etc...), and to feel out the job.

 

Before you go to that course, you should have a conversation with your immediate supervisor (Senior DE, District Director, Field Director) about your performance and the what they think of your successes so far.

 

While you are there, please take in everything the staff has to say, weigh the responsibilities accurately, and take a hard look at how your council does things and see if the two match.

 

After you complete PD-L1 and return home, you should be given a mild pay raise and full pro status. The next year after that, you take PD-L2 locally (usually within 3-5 hours) of your home council, and the year after that, you take PD-L3 again in Westlake. After that, it's annual training to keep your skills sharp -- program, finance, outreach initiatives, people management, etc. Those courses can happen locally, at Philmont, or even back in Westlake -- it all depends on how you decide to advance your career.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to private message me.

 

 

[Eagle92]

Jhankins said it all. And I can concur that it is a demanding job that gives you lots of expereince in a variety of areas. i had several friends leave the profession and double, and in one case triple, their salaries b/c of the experience gained as a DE. Heck my current boss is surprised at some of the things I did working as a DE and for national supply.

 

But I do have one question for her. When I went through PDL-1 in 1998, I was told I had to go through all the basic trainings prior to PDL-1, not just the Fast Starts, has this changed? Luckily I had SMF and EBLT prior to being a DE, so all I had to do was take CSLBT.

[Eagle92]

One other thing if you haven't done so already. I would shadow a DE if possible.

[Kahuna]

"I would shadow a DE if possible"

 

I definitely would ditto that. Good luck through the whole process.

[jhankins]

Oh ya, shadowing is always a good idea. I spent a week shadowing the DEs I was going to work with, and that was quite an eye opener. You do whatever it takes to get the job done. One of my friends from before I was a pro taught me: "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if the volunteer can't (or won't), the professional must!"

 

I'd have to dig into storage to find my file and PDL1 packet, but I believe just the fast starts and youth protection were required. I had done everything but Scoutmaster Specific by that time as a volunteer, and had just been to Wood Badge -- so I felt comfortable with the basics of the programs.

 

[Eagle92]

J,

Don't worry about it as it isn't a big deal. I sdo know that they offered training that anyone missed Saturday and Sunday afternoon.

 

Hmm thinking about it, there is no way to do SMF, or SM Spec and IOLS, in an afternoon, so it must have been just Fast Starts.

 

So why did my DFS tell me I had to do CSLBT?

[Eagle2000]

Thanks everyone for the replies. This info helps a lot. I read somewhere that part of that DE knot is to complete 5 of 8 training programs (like Wood badge or National Camp School). What are the 8 programs? I have completed National Camp School before to be an aquatics director. Does that count or does it have to be completed while a DE? Thanks again!

[jhankins]

92, Your DFS probably wanted you to start a lot of cub packs, and figured the more you knew the better they'd stick around

 

PD-L1 through PDL-3 (3 years, 3 courses)

Complete 5 other trainings (Wood Badge, Powderhorn, National Camp School, People Management, Program Management...etc)

Meet all your SMART Goals (how a pro is judged for performance) for 2 out of 3 years.

 

The Felowship Honor (just adding the BSA device to the knot) is a little different. You have to complete all 8 courses, meet your SMART goals for all 3 years of the time period, AND write a thesis on a scouting topic that's approved by the Center for Professional Development (and stored in the library there).

 

I was told by my patrol advisor at PD-L1 that my time at Wood Badge and NCS would count, but that he would prefer (if he was my SE), that I served on staff for those to get a refresher on the material from volunteer to professional.

 

Becoming a pro boy scout is a distinct change from being a volunteer. It's somewhat of a culture shock in a lot of ways. Keep an open mind and remember, that you're transitioning from volunteerism to the business side of things and sometimes it's difficult to grasp. More than half my class of pros dropped out of the profession in the first year. Three years later and all but 3 had left.

[BadenP]

Eagle2000

Consider this as well before taking the position, if you are married or in a committed relationship this position will take quite a toll on that relationship. As a DE for five years I found out just how many divorced scouting professionals there were out there. The hours are long and the pay short. Being a pro scouter is very different from that of a volunteer, your new focus will be money, new units, money, dealing with a myriad of problems, and oh yeah MONEY.

 

If you get in a great district with a real functioning committee your job will be easier, however my experience was being given two districts that were in dire need of rebuilding and it took over a year just to accomplish that, but I got it done. There were some very rewarding experiences as well. By my fifth year the wife told me enough was enough and I had a choice scouting or her so I resigned from the scouting profession. During my five years I had 3 scout executives at the same council, each one with a different vision and priorities making the job even more difficult to plan long term goals.

 

There were some very good and positive things as well, made some real lifetime friends from the volunteers, we still have a yearly reunion, as staff advisor to the OA got to be an instrumental part in rebuilding a lodge that was down to 5 active members and had done NOTHING in over 10 years, exceeded FOS goals each year, and significantly increased the membership in both districts with the help of some great volunteers. Eagle, my last words of wisdom to you,in spite what you may hear at National training NEVER undervalue your volunteers, if you are open and honest with them at all times they will help you move mountains, thats what they did for me, they were the key to my success.

[jhankins]

For what's it worth, I never head anything negative at my pro training about volunteers. In fact, they really drove home the first paragraph of the Scout Executive's Code which deals with serving your volunteers first, and they'll serve you.

[BadenP]

jhankins

 

Just curious, how long ago were you a DE and for how long, and why did you leave the profession??

[Eagle92]

'2000

If you luck up some of mt posts, esp to another up and coming DE who I happend to have worked with long ago as I discovered, you will hear the good and the bad about the profession

 

The hours are long. The focus is the 3 Ms: Money Membership, and Manpower. It is detrimental to family life, and that has caused lots of folks to leave the profession. My wife, whom I met, dated, and married while a DE, gave me an ultimatum in less than 3 months of marriage: her or the job. yes it did cause that much stress on my marriage. heck we had to shorten the honeymoon b/c of a meeting, and I was sent to camp the week after the wedding, and no that was done last minute to me.

 

You may also have some "interesting" bosses to work for, to put it mildly. If you got a good friendship with a DE ask him to check out the SE, DFS, and FDs in the council you are going to. You know you are in trouble when another professional tells you to "watch your back" with a DFS and SE. had that happen to me, and I wish I would have heeded the advice to run for my life.

[jhankins]

I spent a year as a DE. I was laid off from my council under a reduction in force scenario in July of 2008. I won't go into the details here, as it was well, practically criminal on behalf of the DFS and SE in terms of how they used the council's money. They got to retire with 30+ years in, completely with 56% pensions on their $120k+ a year salaries...

 

My name is still on a rehire list, and I'd go back under the right circumstances. So far, though, the councils I've interviewed for are in more serious trouble than my last one. Even if I could make all my goals, there's still the possibility of lay off again, and I won't move my family on that gamble.

 

The hours are long. The district I served covered 15,000 square miles. I put 3,000 miles a month on my car just for work alone. I used an average of 1500 minutes on my cell phone just for work. Counting windshield time, time answering emails, phone calls, fundraising stops, round tables, troop meetings, appearances at trainings and time to put out fires so I could get to the real work, I spent 50-80 hours a week. As a first year DE, that works out to less than minimum wage.

 

But if you can hang in there and make a career of it and hang on to your grasp of the scout oath and law while you're doing it, it can be a lucrative and worthwhile job.

[BadenP]

j hankins

 

A 15,000 sq mile district with one DE I hardly think so, even National is not that dumb or shortsighted. Still you do confirm the long hours and stress on the family. I could tell u stories about my SE's including the one who is now the CSE that would curl your hair and make ur guys seem like pikers. Still with all the enjoyable parts of the job the corruption of the professional side still makes my skin crawl and ensured that I would never return to that profession again. If you ever want to swap stories PM me sometime. YIS