OMB reaffirms commitment to hiring diverse cloud tech talent

The Office of Management and Budget has reaffirmed the Biden Administration’s commitment to hiring cloud technology experts from a more diverse talent pool.

In a statement to FedScoop, an agency official said the administration is focused on developing a new talent pipeline, including through workforce exchange programs and partnerships with educational institutions.

“The federal government recognizes the changing workforce and ever-changing technological landscape and is working to support the IT workforce through reskilling, training, career growth opportunities and worker flexibility in order to recruit and hire the best IT talent,” the official said. “The recent executive order made clear that the administration is committed to cultivating a workforce that reflects our country’s diversity – meaning cloud technology experts are being recruited from a diverse talent pool.”

The comments come after the Biden administration last month signed an executive order that mandates agencies take wide-ranging action to increase diversity equity and inclusion.

The OMB spokesperson added that IT workforce exchange programs between the private sector and federal agencies would be key in developing a new talent pipeline.

Under the recent EO, agencies are required to collect enhanced demographic data about federal employees and advance pay equity among public servants. Government departments will be required to look at new channels for staff recruitment, including through striking partnerships with universities and colleges that historically have served minority communities.

The Office of Personnel Management and OMB are overseeing the implementation of the new directive.

Technology recruitment consultants say that deep relationships with educational institutions and broadening the reach of paid internships are among the best ways for agencies both to increase the diversity of cloud talent and to foster innovation.

“This [recent EO] has to open things up, right from paid internships. Those exists – those paid internships exist with two- and four-year degrees, but the positions are not yet available once they got through that to place them in the long-term,” said Britaini Carroll, principal director of Accenture Federal Services’ Human Capital division.

Carroll added that there may also be a case for agencies in some instances to loosen educational requirements for cloud jobs that do not require the highest levels of technical expertise.