GAO offers IT, cyber workforce tracking recommendations

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a series of recommendations to aid agencies in identifying critical workforce needs and categorize IT and cyber-related positions.

The analysis, which resulted in 28 recommendations, stemmed from having a qualified, well-trained cybersecurity workforce being a key component of mitigating and responding to cyber threats. Of the 24 reviewed agencies, some had assigned work role codes that were not consistent with the work roles and duties described in corresponding position descriptions.

The Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act of 2015 contains a provision for GAO to analyze and monitor agencies’ workforce planning, with the GAO’s objectives being to determine the extent to which federal agencies have assigned work roles for positions performing IT, cybersecurity, or cyber-related functions and describe the steps federal agencies took to identify work roles of critical need.

The GAO recommended that the Secretary of Agriculture take steps to review the assignment of the “000” code to any positions in the department in the 2210 IT management occupational series and assign the appropriate National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework work role codes. The Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) should complete the identification and coding of vacant positions at GSA performing IT, cybersecurity or cyber-related functions. Lastly, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration should complete the identification and coding of vacant positions at NASA performing IT, cybersecurity or cyber-related functions.