IT workforce

While agency IT officials recognize the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act and OPEN Government Data Act present opportunities to get more value out of their data, they also see challenges in preparing the workforce to manage all that data.

Getting a top-notch IT crew takes real planning and strategy. The Secret Service has a lot of work to do there.

The Office of Personnel Management is giving agency heads the flexibility to decide whether they need direct-hire authority to fill certain IT positions and grant that authority on their own.

Steve Harris, the senior vice president and general manager of Dell EMC Federal, said agencies need to give their workforce better, more secure technologies.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s fourth hearing focusing on the implementation of the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) offered some insights into what lawmakers will expect from agencies next.

The Marine Corps is in the midst of a sweeping review of its information technology workforce, the early results of which have confirmed what top officials suspected: many employees’ official position descriptions don’t have much to do with what they actually do for a living.

Tony Scott, the federal chief information officer, said agencies need to build from within to address talent gaps throughout the government.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) recommends IRS’ chief technology officer create an “inventory list” with the skills needed for each IT position, as well as a process for evaluating an IT employee’s skills.

The assessment is part of OMB’s 25-point plan to reform IT. The review begins Jan. 18.