Millennials and the Future of the Federal Workforce

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There has been considerable coverage of the aging federal workforce and the desire to attract millennials (people born from 1980-1994) to a career in public service.

This generation is said to [Tweet "Millennials value a feeling of knowing the work they are doing is meaningful and making an impact."]value a feeling of knowing that the work they are doing is meaningful and is making an impact on the community or world at large. With this in mind, public service jobs seem tailor made for these eager and idealistic workers of the future. Why then, is the government struggling to recruit them? Much of it comes down to a culture change in how the government does business. From reporting across the web on this topic, we've pulled out what we feel are three of the most critical areas for change and focus. Continue reading →

A Look Ahead at 2015 Events

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While we've seen a trend toward smaller, more intimate events, 2015 signals the return of a number of conferences and shows that are mainstays of the Government IT industry. Here's what you can expect from the "usual suspects" in the first few months of 2015.

  • Federal Networks (Feb 23-24)- This government-wide conference focuses on net-centric solutions to the government's biggest challenges. The event gives great access to the insight from government CIOs and other high ranking IT officials. Signed up for 2015 are CIOs from Veterans Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Social Security Administration.
  • AFCEA Homeland Security Conference (March 10-11) -- AFCEA International brings together the people in charge of ensuring success--from subject matter experts to frontline responders--for two days of open discussion about the various aspects of homeland security. Cathy Lanier, Chief, Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., is a confirmed speaker and will lead a session titled "Ask the Chief."
  • International Wireless Communications Expo (March 16-20) - This show has been around for almost 40 years and in today's mobile world is more relevant than ever. This education-centered conference provides a wide variety of workshops, training, and short courses led by industry and government experts.
  • InfoSec World 2015 Conference and Expo (March 23-25) - This annual show features conference sessions, workshops and summits that address the most pressing matters in information security today. This year's speaker line-up includes a diverse set of voices ranging from the U.S. Secret Service to WalMart.
  • Sea-Air-Space (April 13-15) - This show, run by the Navy League, is now the largest maritime exposition in the U.S. The event combines a large expo floor displaying the latest in naval technology and equipment with professional development sessions focused on strategy and policy issues, as well as exhibit hall speaker sessions and demos.

What about you? What events are on your calendar for the first quarter?

 

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30 Creative Ideas for Content Creation at Your Event

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:

Originally posted on blog.sli.do

Events are treasure troves of priceless content creation opportunities for #EventProfs. The content generated at a single event can nourish your social media and blog for weeks if not months to come. By sharing valuable content pieces, you're able to engage your online event community and significantly extend the life cycle of your conference.

Therefore, content creation becomes one of the most crucial tasks in order to market your event and sustain your community. Continue reading →

White House Plans Conference on Countering Violent Extremism

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:

Originally posted on MiamiHerald.com

WASHINGTON -- The White House plans a conference next month on efforts to counter violent extremism -- in light of the past week's shootings in France and earlier attacks in Canada and Australia.

The meeting will highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting and inspiring others in the United States and elsewhere to carry out violent acts.

The White House says the Feb. 18 summit will build upon a U.S. strategy to address the threat of violent extremism. The White House says cities such as Boston, Los Angeles and Minneapolis-St. Paul have taken a leading role as part of their approach to crime prevention and community safety.

Representatives from other countries will attend, though the White House did not identify them.

The main goal is to "better understand, identify and prevent the cycle of radicalization to violence at home in the United States and abroad," the White House said in a statement.

France's ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, spoke of the need for a global strategy that combines a military response, information-sharing, law enforcement and coordination with Muslim countries "because they're on the front lines of this crisis ... and they are also the breeding ground of the crisis."

Araud said the conference was a good idea because "in a sense, France was not attacked as France. France was attacked as a Western democracy, and it could have happened everywhere in Europe, and, unfortunately, I guess, also in the U.S.," he told ABC's "This Week."

Attorney General Eric Holder said on ABC that there was a need to find ways to "prevent people from adhering to, being attracted to this terrorist ideology."

 

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The Great Cyber Convergence in 2015: AFCEA Speaks

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:

Originally posted on BreakingDefense by 

Technology is moving too fast to keep track of everything, but there's one overarching trend that policymakers must not miss in 2015. Call it "convergence."

Cybersecurity is no longer its own specialized function for tech geeks to take care of off to one side while the rest of the organization gets on with the real mission. To the contrary, cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly central concern for more and more institutions, from Sony Pictures to the US Army, from Marine Corps drone units to Pentagon cloud computing contractors. Integrating the new technology into operations will require new concepts, sustained funding, and open communications between government and industry -- none of which is guaranteed in 2015. Continue reading →