How to stay competitive for defense IT jobs p1 - Military Transition - Military Times EDGE

There’s a surplus of open IT positions and a projected growth rate that will keep these jobs coming for years, according to the Labor Department of Labor. If this is your career field, you can work anywhere — from the government to the private sector, to the defense industry.

The National Defense Industrial Association addresses issues and policies related to the health of the defense industry. It tracks technology development and its effect on everything from employment to national security, monitors legislative and regulatory issues with Congress, federal agencies and private-sector groups, and offers members the chance to network, stay current and influence the industry.

The association’s Peter M. Steffes a 22-year Air Force veteran, offered his views about the changing demands in the IT job market and how these changes are affecting employment trends in the defense industry and in government.

Q. What should service members know about government and defense industry opportunities in IT, as they transition to the civilian side of federal service?

A. For service members contemplating a career in any area of information technology, the first step should be to thoroughly understand the directions and trends that are shaping the IT work force today and in the future. Those who have purchased a computer system in the past few years are painfully aware that not long after you set up your state-of-the-art system, it is usually out of date in less than a year. An understanding of where the IT industry is headed would certainly be a significant advantage for someone entering the IT work force.

When applying for an IT career with the federal government or one of the industries supporting the government, the first question asked is, “Do you have a security clearance?” A significant number of government and industry jobs, particularly with the departments of defense and homeland security, require their employees to have a current security clearance, which requires a background investigation.

Currently, a major problem for defense contractors is obtaining a clearance for their employees in a timely manner. Recent federal regulations now require all government and government contract employees to have a government-issued identity card, which also requires a background check.

The good news is, for those who have a security clearance when applying for IT positions, they have a valuable commodity. Recently, defense industry companies have been offering up to a 25 percent pay bonus for applicants possessing a valid security clearance.

Q. Every industry has employment trends that evolve according to the demands. What would you say are the current trends in IT careers?

A. The size of the IT work force has been growing at about 2 percent per year; current estimates are that there are just over 10 million workers in this area. The overwhelming majority of companies hiring today are non-IT companies, accounting for about 80 percent of IT positions.

Trends regarding where IT jobs are located have changed recently from most of these positions being in the western United States. In fact, the Northeast has shown the largest growth at about 5 percent. Concerning trends in job opportunities, there are a lot of computer scientists, engineers and specialists competing for jobs. IT management is looking for those with a view towards a long-term career.

The defense industry has been proactive in targeting civilians at the early retirement age. As defense workers reach the earliest retirement age (50 to 55 years old), they are getting great offers to leave the government. This trend also should provide opportunities for those beginning IT careers to replace these retirees.

Q. Which IT skills are in demand, and what would you say are some of the fastest growing IT careers right now?

A. Computer scientists and computer engineering, coupled with acquisition knowledge and understanding. In order to be a leader in the IT career field, a person must have the technical knowledge and skills coupled with an acquisition and program management capability.

Programmers represent the largest single group of IT workers. However, recent trends have shown a slight decrease in programming job opportunities. The largest growth area has been technical support and network system design categories, which are up more than 5 percent in the past year.

Q. What other factors should service members know before beginning their IT job search?

A. The defense industry tends to hire computer scientists and computer engineers who have five to 10 years of military or civilian defense experience and who have achieved some success through deliverables. Speaking ability and presentation capability also are important.

For several years, employers have put their hiring emphasis on experience and education. The best background for IT jobs appears to be previous experience in a related field and a four-year college degree in a related field.

A look at www.defensejobs.com reveals there are more than 230 IT jobs available in various defense industries.

There are significant opportunities for jobs in the IT marketplace, but employers appear to be taking an increasingly cautious approach to how and where work gets done. A significant issue has been outsourcing jobs to overseas locations. Most mainstream computer users are familiar with technical support calls that are answered by someone in a foreign country.

The focus of this increase in outsourcing should not be on the number of jobs that are overseas, but rather, the savings derived from outsourcing that can be used to invest in higher technology jobs that could be retained by U.S. workers.

Q. What advice do you have for those with IT backgrounds who are targeting jobs in the defense industry?

A. Opportunities for careers in IT are increasingly expanding as the demand for qualified professionals continues to increase. Competition for jobs also is increasing. Those considering an IT career must take steps to make themselves as valuable as possible to potential employers. Military members leaving or retiring from government service who possess security clearances should [get] their clearances up to date. Transferring approved clearances for a civilian government contractor is not difficult in most cases.

Finally, knowing the trends and directions shaping the IT work force is a valuable tool in anyone’s employment tool kit.