US CIO Council releases guide for federal IT workforce

Federal IT workers in the USA can now better understand the demands and risks of their profession, thanks to a recently authored guide by the Chief Information Officers Council (CIOC).

The guide — an update from the 2017 State of Federal Information Technology (SOFIT) report — explores the challenges posed by a rapidly evolving technology and threat landscape, and lays down 10 recommendations for improving service delivery.

The CIOC said this latest report — titled Future of the Federal IT Workforce — would provide the necessary building blocks for recruiting, retaining, reskilling, augmenting and measuring the workforce of the future.

“Implementing [the report’s] recommendations will improve employee engagement and workplace satisfaction, which will help agencies achieve their missions,” the CIOC said in a statement.

To inform the guide, the Council analysed hundreds of federal statutes, policies and reports, private sector studies and initiatives, and related news articles.

In addition, it undertook qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in the federal IT community. This included chief information officers (CIOs), chief human capital officers (CHCOs), IT practitioners, private industry executives, IT innovators, consultants and emerging technology researchers.

Broadly, the guide covers three key themes: the current state of the federal IT workforce, possible future workforce trends and a roadmap for developing a modern, 21st-century workforce.

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