For the fourth straight year NCED revenues exceeded expenses. Over $2.2 million came from non-postal conferences and training clients such as business mailers.

e. Management Training

The Executive Development Program (EDP) is a comprehensive leadership development experience. Its first component, EDP I, is a standardized foundation experience, Leading People Through Transformation. The second component, EDP II, Connected Leadership, connects executives to key stakeholders and opens paths to cross-functional networking and collaboration with an emphasis on action learning (working on real postal business problems as a practice field for learning). The Executive Development Program was launched in February 2003, and, since then, over 600 Postal Career Executive Service (PCES) managers have completed the first component.

A new program for training human resource (HR) managers was developed and piloted for national roll-out. This course addresses the strategic role HR managers must play in developing people and meeting the aggressive performance goals of the company. A new developmental program for Headquarters secretaries was also piloted this year.

The Advanced Leadership Program, the Career Management Program, the Processing and Distribution Management Program, and the Associate Supervisor Program continue to meet the training and development needs of postal managers and supervisors.

Postal Service supervisors, managers, and executives each received at least 20 hours of training and bargaining unit employees each received at least 8 hours of training in 2004. Safety continued to be a prime training target in 2004. Safety training now uses a standard online source of information to combine just-in-time content with formal online and classroom instruction. Specialized training assisted management and bargaining unit employees in transitioning back to facilities closed due to anthrax contamination.

f. Training and Technology

The Postal Service has started to provide eLearning to its employees. eLearning was initially used at Headquarters, Headquarters-related offices, the Eastern Area office, and the Pittsburgh District office to provide thousands of courses through the computer. Nationwide access to eLearning content is now available.

The Postal Service's contract with the Targeted Learning Corporation will provide training to all levels of employees at their offices. These courses cover leadership, diversity, safety, customer service, and other general business content. Enrollment for 2004 totaled 235,780.

g. Intern Programs

By May 2004 all of the initial 22 Management Interns hired in June 2002 completed the full 24-month Management Intern Program. Each of these was outplaced into mid-level field operations positions. In the 2004 Management Intern recruitment process 1,780 Postal Service and non-Postal Service candidates applied to the program. Currently, 67 interns are in various stages of the program. The Professional Specialist Intern (PSI) Program also recruited for additional positions in 2004. There are currently 15 PSIs in various stages of development, working in the Postal Service. These programs are ongoing.

The Professional Specialist Trainee/Industrial Engineer (PSTIE) training program is ongoing. Industrial Engineer trainees hired in 2003 have either completed the program or are in the final stage of the program. There are currently 64 PSTIEs in various stages of development. This effort exposes engineers to every facet of postal operations, making them better prepared to position the Postal Service relative to the hardware, software, and human resources needed to maximize the efficiency of the processing, distribution, and delivery of mail.

h. William F. Bolger Center for Leadership Development

Effective February 2004, the Center for Leadership Development hired a new supplier to manage the maintenance and operation of the center's facilities. The new contract supports the Bolger Center's 20-year commitment to provide a premiere training and development facility. The center, which can be used by non-Postal Service customers, generated almost $6.7 million in revenue in 2004 from non-Postal Service customers. Approximately 38,166 persons used the center, including 21,504 Postal Service employees. The number of postal users is expected to increase as the Bolger Center expands its offering of postal training programs.