AI Won’t Replace People, But It Might Finally Fix Federal Hiring
Federal hiring has long tested even the most patient applicants. Ten months at the Government Accountability Office to get a job, nine months at the Office of Personnel Management. “You can’t ask someone to put their life on hold waiting for an uncertain decision for 10 months,” said Taka Ariga, a former GAO and OPM
Alka Bhave on Why A New Hiring Framework is Exactly What Industry Needs
A bachelor’s degree in a technical field is undeniably a legitimate pathway to an IT career. But industry and government are increasingly recognizing it’s only one of many. Alka Bhave of Fearless Solutions LLC called White House guidance from the Office of Personnel Management a strong step forward, as it relaxes degree requirements for major
Trump Signs EOs to Boost Skilled Trades, AI Education
President Donald Trump signed two executive orders April 23 to strengthen America’s workforce for the future economy, focusing on skilled trades and artificial intelligence education. The first EO, “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future,” directs federal agencies to streamline workforce development programs and connect workers with in-demand jobs. Agencies must review
What is the GovCon ‘Workforce of the Future’ and Why Do We Need It Now?
George Batsakis is the executive vice president and chief strategy officer of 1901 Group. “We live at a momentous time in history. Technology is changing everything — how we relate to one another, how we work, how are economies and government’s function, and even what it means to be human.” Klaus Schwab, author, “Shaping the
Tomorrow’s Workforce Relies on GovCons Taking Proactive Role in Talent Management
In recent years, government has developed a hunger for modernized technologies — cloud, artificial intelligence, IT as-a-service. But federal agencies and government contracting companies struggle to meet the staffing demands surrounding these upgraded offerings. 1901 Group Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer George Batsakis is part of the leadership team that has been developing
Cloud, RPA, Zero Trust: FEMA’s Scott Bowman’s Tech Roadmap to Modernization
In his 20 years with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Scott Bowman has seen some big changes — most of them digital to improve efficiencies, but always sticking to the mission. In the beginning, “we definitely didn’t have smartphones. All of our disaster applications from disaster survivors were taken over the phone. We didn’t even
DOJ CIO Joe Klimavicz’s Tech, Security, Workforce Priorities for 2020 and Beyond
In his six years as chief information officer at the Justice Department, Joseph Klimavicz has sought to drive big change. He talks about making “large-scale, complex IT transformations” in a range of areas, with an eye toward improving services, reducing costs and enhancing cybersecurity. “I think we’ve made remarkable progress in each of these areas,”
Nazzic Keene on Adapting Courageous Leadership to Changing GovCon Market
As the new CEO of Science Applications International Corp., Nazzic Keene has two major priorities: to lead in talent development, retention and leadership and to create an environment driving innovation to solve critical national challenges. But as we enter a new decade, leadership is going to look, act and feel differently, thanks to a changing
Military Cyber Defenses Have Advanced But More Effort Needed, DOD and Industry Officials Say
Key Takeaways for Executives The military services have made significant strides in upgrading their cybersecurity systems and defending against cyberattacks, officials say. In particular, DOD is working to better train cybersecurity professionals and share cyber best practices across the services. However, several ongoing cybersecurity efforts need more work, and there needs to be additional progress
Shutdown Threatens Contractor Employees’ Credit, Security Clearances
Key Takeaways for Executives The recent government shutdown has damaged the credit of many contractor employees by causing missed bill payments and other financial hardships. Because financial history is one of the main components of a background check, these employees’ ability to get and maintain security clearances will be jeopardized through no fault of their
Shutdown Threatens Status of Contractor Employees on H-1B Visas
Key Takeaways for Executives Federal contractor employees on H-1B visas face potential deportation if they are terminated for lack of work. Contractors have to keep paying these employees even if they have no work, terminate them, or face stiff penalties. A mass exodus of H-1B workers could constitute a serious “brain drain,” especially in the
Best — and Worst — US Cities for STEM Jobs in 2019
A recent market study from WalletHub ranked Washington, D.C., as a runner-up among the top five U.S. cities with the highest percentage of their workforce in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math-related careers. Careers in STEM provide some of the best employment opportunities, offering higher salaries and posing less risk of unemployment than other
2019 Market Outlook: NVTC’s Bobbie Kilberg on Hiring, Security Clearance Reform and Cyber
We look forward to the new year and new opportunities for innovation and growth in the government contracting community. This past year, the public and private sectors both experienced more emphasis and demand for cybersecurity, merging technology with health care, and how to best mitigate the insider threat. As a part of an annual series,
No One Knows if Furloughed Contractor Employees Will Ever be Paid
Although Congress usually votes to authorize back pay for federal employees following a government shutdown, federal contractor employees historically have been left out in the cold. And given the length of this shutdown — now entering its third week with no end in sight — it’s particularly hard to know exactly how many contractor employees
Yearly STEM Symposium to Explore Power of Curiosity
Building on previous years’ success with convening students, parents and educators to engage in meaningful discourse about science, technology, engineering and math, WashingtonExec is once again announcing its annual K-12 STEM Symposium — this year, with a theme of The Power of Curiosity. Presented by Riverside Research, a nonprofit R&D organization for the Defense Department and the
2019 Market Outlook: Former DIA Official David Shedd on Embracing Innovation
We look forward to the new year and new opportunities for innovation and growth in the government contracting community. This past year, the public and private sectors both experienced more emphasis and demand for cybersecurity, merging technology with health care, and how to best mitigate the insider threat. As a part of an annual series,
NCI’s Sandy Gillespie Talks Out-of-the-Box Strategies and Work Culture
Sandy Gillespie, NCI WashingtonExec recently caught up with Sandy Gillespie, chief operating officer of NCI Information Systems, Inc. (NCI), a provider of enterprise solutions and services to U.S. defense, intelligence, health and civilian government agencies. Gillespie spoke about managerial excellence and bringing commercial solutions to the public sector. She also provided insight regarding NCI’s new
Want Your Employees to Feel More Engaged on the Job? New Book Says This is the Secret Weapon
You might not know it, but there’s a crisis in the cubicles. On average, only about 33 percent of workers nationwide report feeling engaged in their work. And common efforts by managers and HR professionals to motivate tuned-out employees are falling up short. What gives? Maybe it’s because they’ve been trying to solve the wrong
Here are Concrete Steps for Contractors to Mitigate Shutdown Effects
Now that we are nearing the second week of a partial government shutdown with no end in sight, contractors should take several steps to ensure as little disruption to their businesses as possible, industry groups say. Among other things, according to the Professional Services Council, contractors should assemble a team of employees to ensure compliance
Genesys Works Recruits Students ‘With a Fire in Their Belly’ to Build a Future
Mioshi Moses, Genesys Works Genesys Works aims to give a hand to students in underserved communities, but the intense technical training and internship placement program also helps participating workplaces fill in-demand positions. The program, said National Capital Area Director Mioshi Moses, targets students in underserved communities, but particularly those “with a fire in their belly”
How to Continue Serving Your Country: Work with Meaning and Purpose
Harry Gatanas is vice president of the National Security Sector at Clear Creek Group, which recently acquired DataSync. Businesses today operate in mixed environments of increased opportunities generated, in large part, through technology. Within those opportunities come increased vulnerabilities — for private industry, and the public sector. Threats to the international order from near-peer competitors
Navigating Your Transition to Industry Seminar: What They Don’t Tell You Before Retirement
On Nov. 15, WashingtonExec is hosting its popular “Navigating Your Transition to Industry Seminar: What They Don’t Tell You Before Retirement” for government executives looking to shift their careers to the private sector. Intelligence community, military, law enforcement and civilian leaders in all stages of retirement transition are encouraged to attend — and the longer
2018 Market Outlook: Kevin Kelly of LGS Innovations
We look forward to a new year and new opportunities for innovation and growth in the government contracting community. This past year, we experienced an increased emphasis on big data, insider threat, merging technology with health care, and the internet of things, among others. WashingtonExec reached out to those most knowledgeable and experienced in the
Inside Scoop from AFS Exec Elaine Beeman on Phase One Acquisition
Accenture Federal Services announced it will be acquiring Phase One Consulting Group last week, a leading Salesforce solutions provider in the $80 billion federal market. WashingtonExec sat down with Elaine Beeman, AFS’ senior managing director and civilian portfolio lead, who championed the deal, for the inside scoop. WashingtonExec: What does the acquisition of Phase One in
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