Federal Government Aims to Attract Early Career Talent Amidst Aging Workforce Concerns
The federal government is actively working to attract early career talent, including recent college graduates and career changers, to address a significant demographic imbalance within its workforce. Currently, only 7% of the federal workforce is under 30, compared to 22% in the overall U.S. workforce. Conversely, 44% of federal employees are over 50, which is 11 percentage points higher than the national average. This demographic trend suggests that nearly half of the current federal workforce could retire within the next 5-10 years. To counter this, the government is undertaking initiatives such as a 40-university tour to market federal career opportunities and is re-evaluating job requirements to prioritize skills over college degrees where appropriate. The goal is to create a more diverse and dynamic workforce that can bring fresh perspectives and adapt to a fast-changing world, particularly in technology-driven fields.
