(US and Canada) Garrett Berntsen, Deputy Chief Data Officer of the U.S. Department of State, speaks with John Filipek, Federal – Inside Sales Director, SHI International Corp., in a video interview about cultural transformation, transforming the workforce, building teams, and high-impact work opportunities within government departments.

According to Berntsen, the Department of State is a large organization with dozens of bureaus managing a variety of workflows across the globe. There are centers of analytical excellence within multiple bureaus and attempts to expand them are underway. He says that top-down and ground-up signals are driving the modernization agenda. Berntsen adds that while there will always be resistance to change, people can be won over gradually by providing impact.

Berntsen acknowledges the talent problem in the federal sector, namely an older workforce. However, he maintains that agencies are implementing initiatives to recruit young talent.

Berntsen explains that the department wants young leaders willing to own their work. It has a flat team focused on building things, solving problems, and helping others solve problems. 

The team’s requirements include a complete suite of capabilities and skills with opportunities to grow laterally or stay hyper-focused in a specific area.

Next, Bernsten highlights the following ongoing projects:

• Management problems: Leveraging modern data approaches and analyses to manage the tremendous amount of data generated from delivering global services to 200 countries.

• Foreign policy: Supporting analyses on major global issues, like climate change, etc., to inform negotiations and discussions.

In conclusion, Berntsen urges skilled professionals affected by the large tech layoffs to explore high-impact opportunities within government agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

CDO Magazine appreciates Garrett Berntsen for sharing his insights and data success stories with our global community.

See more from Garrett Berntsen

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