Under-30 Share of Federal Workforce Remains Low, Says MSPB

While only 6.9 percent of federal employees are under age 30, that figure is not especially low for the last 25 years and actually is slightly above the average for that time, according to a recent MSPB publication.

A number of reports of recent years have called attention to the percentage of federal employees in that age range being well below the private sector average, calling for greater attention to programs such internships and fellowships that can serve as a pipeline for hiring early-career employees.

However, the MSPB said that over the 25 years, the average has been 6.7 percent, ranging from 4.7 percent in fiscal 2000 to 9.1 percent in fiscal 2010. After that it fell to 6.1 percent in 2017-2018 before rebounding somewhat to its current level.

Figures varied by agency, it noted, with the percentage highest in Navy and FDIC, 11.4 and 10.5 percent, and lowest in Army and EPA, 7 and 8.1 percent. The difference “could be the occupations for which they hire, or it could be that agencies like the Department of Navy and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporations may have lessons they can share with other agencies who have lower representation,” it said.

There also were differences by demographics, with women under 30 nearly matching the overall percentage of women in the overall workforce, a higher percentage Hispanic/Latino employees at those younger ages, and a lower percentage of Black/African American employees.

However, the report did reinforce concerns about the relative lack of younger employees in IT occupations, where only 3.7 percent are under age 30.

“Given the technology challenges the nation faces, the lack of a talent pipeline in this area is concerning. Some other technical occupations are faring better. For instance, 17.2 percent of employees in mathematics occupations and 15 percent in engineering occupations are under 30,” it said.

“The lesson is that not all demographic groups, agencies, or occupations are alike. To ensure a strong pipeline into mission-critical positions, agencies should conduct their own workforce analyses to see where they can improve,” it said.

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