Expert Speaks Out on ‘Perfect Solution’ to Federal Hiring Issues Creating National Security Concerns
Recently, Fox News Digital spoke to SkillStorm’s CEO, Justin Vianello, about the hurdles of federal hiring and what his company is doing to address those using technology. Vianello addressed the issues the federal government faces hiring workers, particularly in critical areas like cybersecurity and tech, which have been flagged as significant concerns for national security. The federal government has struggled with staffing issues in key roles for decades, with the problem highlighted as far back as 2001, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Vianello explained that the procurement process is currently structured in a way that causes significant delays. He noted that while it can take years to award a solicitation, agencies often expect results within a short timeframe. This process is both inefficient and outdated. He proposed that allowing companies to build custom teams over several months rather than weeks could help address these issues. He emphasized that the current hiring process is lengthy and laborious, sometimes taking years rather than months, creating delays and necessitating rapid mobilization and deployment.
Vianello described one solution to this issue as allowing for an on-ramp time where people can spend between two to four months custom building teams with the right skills, certifications, and location for rapid deployment. This is where SkillStorm’s model comes into play. Vianello mentioned that SkillStorm has spent millions of dollars building a Performance Acceleration Center for Excellence, an innovative learning management system with a customized curriculum and content, along with a stable of trainers. This infrastructure allows the company to rapidly upskill and deploy people.
Vianello discussed how SkillStorm leverages its infrastructure to accelerate and train teams. The process involves bringing people into the program, training them for 10 to 16 weeks, paying them during the training, helping them achieve their certifications, and then deploying them. The company recovers its investment by billing the government hourly. This system means SkillStorm takes on all the risk upfront and recovers it by billing hourly to the client. Vianello suggested that this is a perfect solution for custom-building tech teams, creating new talent for the ecosystem, and deploying people over time. However, he cautioned that the government would need to change the procurement system to allow for building these teams over a longer period.
Another issue Vianello highlighted is the current hiring process being tied up with security clearances, which can pose a national security risk. He stated that while this is a part of the problem, there is a larger issue facing the market. Vianello emphasized that SkillStorm’s model provides an innovative, cost-effective solution to custom-building U.S.-based tech teams for rapid deployment. He noted the student debt crisis in the country and the simultaneous offshoring of children’s roles to other countries, using visa holders for entry-level tech roles. Without investing in programs like SkillStorm, he warned, there would be no next generation of cybersecurity experts and AI innovators, which would have significant implications for national security.
Former General Services Administration (GSA) head Emily Murphy, who previously spoke to Fox News Digital about the GSA’s work to streamline government in the era of DOGE, stated that she has seen firsthand how outdated federal systems have become one of the most serious yet least discussed threats to national security. Agencies charged with safeguarding cybersecurity and digital infrastructure are losing the talent battle to the private sector, and the slow, outdated process for onboarding cleared workers doesn’t match the urgency of today’s threats. Murphy explained that the federal government needs a ‘new pipeline’ that ‘delivers clearance-eligible, project-ready professionals trained on mission-specific tools.’
She highlighted that SkillStorm is doing exactly that, deploying ‘Stormers,’ technologists trained on specific tech platforms at a significant discount. It’s a smarter, faster way to secure the talent our government urgently needs. Vianello mentioned that SkillStorm and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) share similar goals in making government more efficient. Vianello stated that DOGE is focused on IT automation and IT transformation, doing it on an efficient and cost-effective basis. He believes there will be a push towards less full-time employees and more efficient contractors coming in and accelerating project delivery. Ultimately, this comes back to improving the solicitation process and making sure technology is not outdated once implemented, which is crucial to attracting young technologists who want to be part of the change.