The federal IT workforce, with 76 percent reportedly over
age 40 and only 5 percent under 30, appears to be aging,
although many workers close to retirement plan to stay past
their eligible date, according the Clinger/Cohen IT skills
assessment survey for 2003 just released.
The survey also said that federal IT workers rated their
competency proficiencies higher than their skills
proficiencies, which could mean that in general the workforce
is equipped to handle complex jobs and activities without
a comprehensive grasp of every technology involved.
Its could also mean, according to the report, that the
workforce has not been given the opportunity for training
and certification to keep stay abreast of skills related to
rapidly changing technologies, or that the skills may be
related to functions that are typically outsourced.
Few respondents were certified in specific languages or
systems while more were certified in broader areas such as
project management, the survey said.
It said all this might signal that certain competencies such
as capital planning and investment assessment,
contracting/procurement and financial management, as well
as skills such as federal and OMB enterprise architecture,
biometrics, portal development, all relating to high priority
specialized job activities and evolving mission are likely
in need of development.
