Government Technology - January 2009 - (Page 29)

Motivating Generation Next Of course, some feel that CIOs could do even more to fill department seats with young employees. David Behen, CIO of Washtenaw County, Mich., doesn’t think federal, state or local governments are taking this topic seriously. “When I talk to people about this issue, it’s like people are trying to do something, but the wheels are spinning and it really hasn’t caught on yet,” he said. “And I’m afraid it’s going to be too late when it catches on,” he said. Behen is the vice chair of the Public Technology Institute’s CIO Council, which guides government IT leaders in handling technology opportunities and challenges. He has also given presentations at conferences nationwide, in which he informs CIOs of the need to recruit Millennials. Like North Carolina’s Willis, he thinks CIOs should adapt to the changing technology landscape that the younger generation is familiar with. “I have a 6-year-old, a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. None of them will know the world without Google,” Behen said. “None of them will know the world without cell phones, high-speed Internet [or] wireless technology. The way that government provides services now is going to be tremendously different for these young adults.” Behan added that government should educate young adults on the value of public service. “We need to start recruiting at an early age, making public service a viable option for folks as they look at careers,” he said. That means talking to high school students and recruiting at colleges to foster a sense of pride in serving. “We as a government, as local officials, need to get out there and start promoting government service,” he said. Missouri’s Ross sent teams from his department to visit middle schools and high schools to persuade students that IT careers are attractive life paths. But when his team asks students to draw pictures of people who work with computers, they portray workers unflatteringly. “Ten years ago we went into the ninthgrade class here in the capital city and asked ninth-graders to draw a picture of what IT professionals look like, and they all drew David Behen is the vice chair of the Public Technology Institute’s CIO Council, which guides government IT leaders in handling technology opportunities and challenges. He has also given presentations at conferences nationwide, in which he informs CIOs of the need to recruit Millennials. nerdy, white, bald guys with black glasses with a paper clip holding them together and wearing lab coats,” he said. And in recent years, the portrayals haven’t changed much except for more female professionals being depicted the same way. So how interested, exactly, are young people in IT careers? Recent data compiled by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the U.S. Department of Education suggests that university technology degrees may not yet be ready for the endangered list. The NCES Digest of Education Statistics compiled in 2007 presents the following information on recent bachelor’s degrees earned by students: • 47,480 computer and information science degrees were conferred in the 2005-2006 school year, compared to 44,142 in the 2000-2001 school year; • 67,045 engineering degrees were conferred in the 2005-2006 school year, compared to 58,315 in the 2000-2001 school year; • 14,770 mathematics and statistics degrees were conferred in the 2005-2006 school year, compared to 11,171 in the 2000-2001 school year; and • 20,318 physical sciences and science technologies degrees were conferred in the 2005-2006 school year, compared to 17,919 in the 2000-2001 school year. What attracts new employees? Here are the top ﬁve reasons, according to NASCIO’s State IT Workforce: Here Today Gone Tomorrow. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 89.1% 65.2% 47.8% 43.5% 23.9% Benefits Package Location Workplace Flexibility Career Tuition Opportunities/ Reimbursement Challenging Work 19 http://www.govtech.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - January 2009

Government Technology - January 2009 Contents Point of View On the Scene Big Picture Four Questions for... Stemming the Retirement Tide Getting the Picture Fact of Matter Money Trail Rays the Roof Trick or Tweet? The Modern Way to Vote Products signal:noise

Government Technology - January 2009

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