This guidebook explains the responsibilities of the employee and supervisor in completing the Individual Development Plan (IDP) and outlines a step-by-step process for preparing an IDP. The IDP is developed by the employee and their supervisor. As the Plan is built, the employee and supervisor will outline developmental objectives and career goals. The employee and supervisor will also select learning activities for achieving these objective and goals. The IDP has multiple benefits. First, it ensures that the employee maintains the current level of job proficiency through continued training and developmental activities. Secondly, the employee charts a career path by identifying new knowledge, skills and abilities to pursue, as well as learning activities needed to reach the established goals. Third, the IDP will support organization mission and workforce planning needs. IDPs are REQUIRED for the following SBA- ODA employees beginning in FY2010: Permanent Full-time Cadre Full-time SES Candidate Development Program Participants Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Student Career Experience Program Participants (SCEP) This Guidebook will help employees: Analyze career goals and objectives Learn how to prepare a formal Individual Development Plan (IDP) Analyze the organization's needs for individual development planning Prepare for the employee-supervisor IDP discussion Find and use resources for individual development planning"