Closing the Federal Early-Talent Cybersecurity & AI Gaps

Federal agencies are at a crossroads in their talent acquisition efforts. Approximately 30% of employees are over 55, another third is eligible for retirement in less than two years, and less than 8% are under 30. Our government faces the threat of a massive knowledge drain and loss of institutional knowledge if more members of Generation Z (Gen Z) aren’t attracted to public service positions now.

This challenge is only more urgent when it comes to hiring talent for cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) related roles. In the GS-2210 series (i.e., Information Technology Management Series), there are over 100,000 openings, and federal employers are scrambling to build pipelines of entry-level talent whom they can develop into full effective cyber professionals.

The good news is Gen Z is looking for stability, ability to make an impact, and competitive benefits when exploring career opportunities. In addition, Gen Z enters the workforce with tech skills including computer engineering, machine learning, data analysis, as well as other IT expertise.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the steps agencies are now able to take to attract highly skilled candidates for essential IT positions
• Outline ways that agencies need to – or already are – changing internal HR practices to facilitate a supportive work environment for new hires
• Delineate other actions that agencies look to put in place to make government employment attractive compared to the private sector