Critical skills management is the process of identifying at-risk skills
and developing plans to mitigate those risks. At Lockheed Martin SMD,
critical skills management begins with the needs of the business and the
identification of core competencies. Established by executives, the competencies
stem from program skill requirements and any anticipated business
unit–level skill requirements. They are highly technical in nature, such as
high-reliability missile design, integration, and artificial intelligence and
technology; missile design, safety, and operations for manned submarine
applications; and high safety and surety missile design for nuclear weapon
applications. Critical skills needed for each competency are identified and
documented as a key driver of the critical skills management process. And
its competency assessment tool helps assess individual employee experiences
and backgrounds against various competency requirements.