Exchanging IT Workers

My colleague Bob Brewin has an update on the Pentagon's announcement last week that it plans to launch its long-awaited information technology exchange program. The program will allow Defense to exchange with the private sector up to 10 federal IT employees to enhance training, development and the sharing of best practices, particularly in cybersecurity.

Last year, the Obama administration released a cybersecurity report that proposed engaging federal IT workers in shared training and rotational assignments across agencies and potentially with the private sector. At the time, Norm Lorentz, a director in the global public sector practice at Grant Thornton and former chief technology officer at the Office of Management and Budget, said that for such a goal to be possible, the government would have to first ensure consistency in IT job descriptions, continually update training and have consistency in procurement.

What are your thoughts on Defense's new exchange pilot program? Would you welcome such a program at your agency? And what private sector organization do you think would provide the most benefit to both you and government?