Author Archive
Cyber
Solarium successor wants the White House to lead on cyber workforce strategy
One recommendation: establish cyber excepted service authorities, like the Department of Homeland Security's newly launched cyber hiring initiative, government-wide.
Cyber
Seven years in the making, DHS's new cyber talent system boasts just one hire
Officials at the Department of Homeland Security say that change management efforts will help scale the Cybersecurity Talent Management System
AI & Analytics
CIA taps its first chief technology officer
CIA Director William Burns named the chief technology officer of the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center to be the spy agency's first-ever CTO on Friday.
Personnel
State Department taps assessment-based hiring process for data scientists
The department hit its applicant cap in one day after posting a job listing seeking 50 data scientists.
Cyber
Inglis says he won't 'dictate' cyber workforce policy
National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said that part of his job in the cybersecurity workforce arena will be ensuring that the roles of different agencies are coordinated.
Cyber
CISA's Easterly wants to close the cyber workforce gender gap by 2030
Women currently constitute about one quarter of the global cyber field, according to estimates.
Cyber
Data and the cyber workforce
The co-chairs of a congressionally mandated report on the cybersecurity workforce say that a new office or bureau should be charged with compiling more granular data on the state of cyber employment.
AI & Analytics
Bill to train acquisition workforce on AI clears Senate
The bill will help the U.S. stay afloat in global competition on artificial intelligence, its sponsors on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee say.
Cyber
NDAA requires DOD to report on prospects for a ‘cyber academy’
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) says these reports could inform potential legislation to establish an academy to educate cyber workers for government modeled after military service academies.
IT Infrastructure
What’s next for security clearance reform?
Expect new milestones from the DOD’s governmentwide vetting IT and new policies on vetting criteria in 2022.
IT Infrastructure
Final 2022 defense bill calls for new data and software job series
The House-passed compromise NDAA also has other workforce provisions, including a change to the probationary period for civilian feds at DOD and paid parental bereavement leave for federal employees.
IT Infrastructure
White House asks agencies to delay consequences for vaccine mandate violations
Agencies have the power to decide how to discipline unvaccinated feds, but the White House is encouraging them to go beyond education, counseling and letters of reprimand until after the holidays.
Cyber
Homeland Security updates cyber workforce system
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity Talent Management System updates the agency’s practices around hiring, compensating and developing employees.
IT Infrastructure
Intelligence community diversity lags at the highest levels
Although there have been some gains in the representation of women and minorities in the IC workforce overall, the highest ranks are less diverse.
IT Infrastructure
DHS faces steep climb with financial systems modernization
The agency made some awards on a long-delayed financial management modernization effort earlier this month, but years of work awaits the agency on establishing an enterprisewide system.
Cyber
AFGE looks to block Cyber Command reserve program in NDAA
A proposed amendment to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to pilot a cybersecurity reserve force at the Department of Defense would weaken merit systems principles, according to the largest federal employee union.
Cyber
Fostering a diverse cybersecurity workforce
Experts at an Aspen Institute event explained some roadblocks to cultivating a diverse cybersecurity workforce and offered potential solutions, including putting less reliance on formal certification.
IT Infrastructure
Was DOD ready for telework in 2020?
Slow networks, a lack of management buy-in and the need for more government equipment all affected how DOD feds transitioned to telework at the start of the pandemic, new reports from DOD's IG found.
Cyber
DHS workforce sprint brings in nearly 300 cyber employees
Cybersecurity vacancies totaled about 2,000 at the start of the hiring sprint in May.
Cyber