Feds Tap High Schoolers
By Jill R. Aitoro | Monday, February 11, 2008 | 01:50 PM
By Jill R. Aitoro | Monday, February 11, 2008 | 01:50 PM
Last Thursday was IT Job Shadow Day in federal government, with 475 students trailing IT staff at 36 agencies. Two of those students shadowed Karen Evans, administrator for e-government and information technology at the Office of Management and Budget, and Tim Young, deputy administrator for e-government and information technology, during a press briefing about the IT budget. The hope, Evans said, is that the effort will attract young talent to computer science, which would in turn help deal with ongoing workforce issues. “We’re one of many competing here to attract these students,” she said.
Comments
Another roaring endorsement of how low
the standards of recruiting have gotten for our federal government. Maybe, they can get "Johnny Geek" or "Jane Geek" to come work in the exciting world of information technology for the federal government. Yes, especially when so many of our federal workforce are punching their retirement ticket as soon as they're eligible. Wouldn't it be better to encourage these high schoolers to get a college degree or certificate in
computer programming or systems administration before we try to entice them to work for the federal government in the field of Information Technology.
Looks to me like they need to return to teaching 'the Joys of Civics and Governance' in High School before they start teaching "the Joys of Fed Govt IT".
That way students might have a clue what government should and could do for THEM and THEIRS if they participate as citizens in their own governance and government, rather than just be "corporate sanctioned consumers of their government".
zz ziled | Wednesday, February 13, 2008 | 10:50 AMNo, the biggest letdown will be when these bright kids try to wade through the application process for a job with the Gov't. As a Govt retiree, even I could not begin to apply for a job with the Govt because of the complications of finding an opening and then applying with no response from anyone ever.
N Harbour | Tuesday, February 12, 2008 | 06:48 PMPolicy and Computer Science are not equal. In fact they could not be farther apart. And, there is a question of whether computer science is inherently governmental in the first place. If Karen is still trying to figure out why my generation(gen Y through mils) are not interested in fed IT maybe she should take a class in business operations. The fed is so poor at running anything in a business-like efficient manner, why would we want to rot in place with them. Business operations drive IT, not the other way around. I see way to much gadget spending. We believe in service but were not ready to sacrifice our one and only life for admin wienies and policy wonks who should have moved on generations ago (like 8-bit computing).
Fedman | Tuesday, February 12, 2008 | 07:50 AMIsn't it sad they now have to target high schoolers, why? The college kids must have saw through the bull, especially NSPS.
Anonymous | Tuesday, February 12, 2008 | 05:49 AMThis would be the biggest letdown in history, which would turn these kids off of government service for life.
"Hey Jimmy! You are going to follow around a computer specialist who works for the government!"
"Cool!!! So like someone who thwarts hackers and tracks cyber-criminals stuff?"
"Better! Karen Evens, from the Office of Management and budget!"
"D="
Don't get me wrong, these people are doing important work, but exposing these kids to it will NOT get them excited about IT.
Letdown | Monday, February 11, 2008 | 03:09 PMABOUT THIS BLOG
Allan Holmes on what's happening and what's being discussed in the world of federal information technology.
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