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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of
Labor Elaine L. Chao
Welcome to New Department of Labor MBA
Fellows
Frances Perkins Building
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington,
D.C.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Welcome and good afternoon! Let me thank the MBA program staff for
everything they have done to make this eventful day possible. Let me also note
the efforts of Assistant Secretary of OASAM, Pat Pizzella, for his efforts in
establishing this program.
I’ve been eagerly anticipating meeting with our second MBA class,
and I’m so pleased that you are here. We’re so proud of our MBA
program. It has been one of my top human resource priorities as Secretary. And
there is much to do!
The first class of MBA fellows is already busy with assignments.
Some of them are working with ETA to build more national partnerships with the
private sector. Others are helping the CFO strengthen our financial management
systems, which is so important to good government. And some are assisting the
Inspector General in increasing the effectiveness of his human resources.
Don’t worry! There are many more assignments for you, our second
class of fellows.
Every year, our MBA class grows larger and more selective. For this
class we received over 350 applications—double from the preceding
year—from an application pool of more than 187 colleges and universities.
You are the final 17 we selected as MBA fellows.
And I’m proud of the fact that you are such a diverse, as well as
talented group.
You represent 15 different schools. You come from 10 different states.
And I’m particularly pleased that there are three veterans and 13 women
among you. Many of you have international and volunteer experience, which will
be a great asset to your work at the Department.
We look forward to the contributions you will make, especially in
helping us carry out President Bush’s management agenda for a more
results-oriented government.
This week officially begins your training. You will embark on an
intensive two-year training and development program, which includes special
classes and workshops. You will have the opportunity to rotate within the
department’s various agencies, and to learn how all our major functions
operate. And you will be given a wide variety of assignments.
Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to “shadow”
our department leaders. I encourage you to use this opportunity to learn and
appreciate the “soft” skills of leadership that are so important in
managing people and projects in the government sector.
And I encourage each of you to take full advantage of the all
development opportunities provided by the MBA fellow program.
As many of you know, I have an MBA myself. I came to government as a
fellow—a White House fellow. The rewards of that experience were the
inspiration for creating this program in the Labor Department.
I hope you will learn, as I did, the special rewards of serving your
country and the satisfaction that comes from helping others.
I firmly believe that our country is a force for good in the world. And
the dedicated men and women who make up the workforce of the federal
government—like you—are a key part of that legacy.
So thank you for joining us and I wish you the best.
Now I’ll be delighted to take some questions.
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