Public sector employers have questions about the skills that workers will need to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout government.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has taken a step toward providing some answers.
In a recent memo to chief human capital officers in federal agencies, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja identified more than 50 skills and competencies needed for positions related to AI, “to help the federal government recruit and train more AI talent.”
In collaboration with the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), OPM issued specific guidance pursuant to the AI in Government Act of 2020, releasing for agency use general and technical competencies “to support agencies targeting AI skills needed to fill positions to expand AI capabilities governmentwide,” the memo read.
Outlining AI Skills and Competencies
In support of this effort, OPM conducted an environmental scan of AI work, issuing a governmentwide AI workforce survey, holding focus groups with technical and HR subject matter experts to identify key skills and competencies throughout the government, and analyzing the results.
The memo outlined 44 general competencies and 14 technical competencies that OPM’s environmental scan identified. General competencies included accountability, attention to detail, computer skills, conflict management, mathematical reasoning, memory, mental visualization, sociotechnical competence and strategic thinking, for instance. Technical competencies ranged from application development, data analysis and emotional intelligence to problem solving, software engineering and testing and validation.
The memo also provided definitions for each of these 50-plus competencies. For example, those with conflict managements skills are defined as encouraging creative tension and differences of opinions, and able to anticipate and take steps to prevent counterproductive confrontations. Individuals who excel at conflict management are also skilled at managing and resolving conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner, and can escalate conflicts and disagreements when appropriate and constructive in order to get to resolution, according to the memo.
On the technical side, for example, candidates who would be considered strong at data analysis are defined as being able to manipulate and exploit internal and external, structured and unstructured data sources to accomplish organizational goals. Those with software engineering expertise have demonstrated an ability to design software utilizing the software lifecycle process; can develop, deploy, update, maintain and test software using methodologies and tools; can design to leverage software reusability; and establish and utilize software engineering theory and techniques.
The memo reminds agencies that they are responsible for conducting job analyses for work within their agency, as well as determining the applicability of these competencies to positions within their organization. OPM also refers government agencies to its Delegated Examining Operations Handbook for more information on conducting job analyses.
According to OPM, next steps for its AI-related efforts will include issuing a validated AI competency model designed to support federal agency talent acquisition efforts and developing AI interpretive classification policy guidance to meet the requirements of the AI in Government Act.
“For now,” the memo reads, “agencies may use the provided competencies as supported by a job analysis for recruitment, selection and hiring.”
17 July 2023
Category
HR News Article
