OSTO Workforce Workshop
November 10, 2008
Defining OSTO Workforce Challenges
Government Agency
Robert W. Ridky
National Education Coordinator
U.S. Geological Survey
Questions:
?
?
?
How do you know what’s really happening ?
(By the time the data is collected and
analyzed something else is occurring.)
Confidence level that academia can deliver ?
Longevity of technical skill sets ?
(Technical skill sets too dynamic to be effectively
embedded into the curriculum?)
What are the fundamental understandings, the
supportive concepts that have staying power?
and...
Questions:
?
?
?
What are the effective structures and realistic
relationships btw. academia and industry?
(Look at coops, internships, students oriented
dental, medical and legal clinics; best practices
case studies. Also, study our Land Grant
College movement!)
Table 302:
Degrees conferred in chemistry, geology, and physics 1970-01 to ’2005-06
Chemistry
year
B
M
Geoscience
D
B
M
D
Physics
B
M
D
70-71 11061
2244
2093
3312
1074
408
5071
2188
1482
75-76 11015
1745
1578
4677
1384
445
3544
1700
997
80-81 12682
1862
1649
6332
1702
404
3441
1294
866
85-86 10110
1712
1878
5760
2036
395
4180
1501
1010
90-91
8311
1637
2196
2367
1336
600
4236
1725
1209
95-96 10395
2214
2228
4019
1288
555
3679
1678
1462
00-01
9466
1952
2056
3495
1220
472
3418
1365
11699
05-06 10606
2044
2403
3322
1476
505
4541
1846
1341
Source: NCES, Digest of Educational Statistics: 2007
Table 179:
Total Fall Enrollments, 1970 - 2005
1970
1975
1980
1985
8,580,887
11,184,859
12,096,895
12,247,055
1990
1995
2000
2005
13,818,637
14,261,781
15,312,289
17,487,475
Source: NCES, Digest of Educational Statistics: 2007
Chemistry
year
Physics
M
D
B
M
D
B
M
D
70-71 11061
2244
2093
3312
1074
408
5071
2188
1482
75-76 11015
1745
1578
4677
1384
445
3544
1700
997
80-81 12682
1862
1649
6332
1702
404
3441
1294
866
85-86 10110
1712
1878
5760
2036
395
4180
1501
1010
90-91
8311
1637
2196
2367
1336
600
4236
1725
1209
95-96 10395
2214
2228
4019
1288
555
3679
1678
1462
00-01
9466
1952
2056
3495
1220
472
3418
1365
11699
05-06 10606
2044
2403
3322
1476
505
4541
1846
1341
-13.0
- 4.9
-5.3
21.0
-15.0
7.0
-7.1
32.9
-18.7
35.2
-20.0
14.7
% change
95-6 to 00-01
00-01 to 05-06
B
Geoscience
-8.9
12.0
-11.8
4.7
-7.7
16.9
Types of Employment (Appointment Type) in the USGS by Fiscal Year
12,000
10,000
772
958
949
760
578
569
603
298
389
452
685
600
232
8,000
556
280
630
571
273
580
588
309
682
757
609
662
312
328
Students
(SCEPs and
STEPs)
Term
6,000
7,423
7,237
7,207
7,860
8,029
8,267
8,434
8,361
4,000
8,363
Temporary
8,421
Number of Active Employees
571
188
893
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
2,000
0
FY 1999
FY 2000
FY 2001
FY 2002
FY 2003
FY 2004
FY 2005
Permanent
Occupational Categories in the USGS by Fiscal Year
12,000
1,911
1,815
613
1,835
654
1,804
680
1,883
2,264
701
1,987
2,191
714
2,311
2,060
751
8,000
Technical Science
Series
511
495
476
Technical Non-Science
Series
Professional Science
Series
572
Professional NonScience Series
6,000
4,315
4,422
4,000
4,362
Clerical
4,656
4,690
4,807
4,769
4,745
4,736
4,888
Student SCEPs
Blue Collar
Administrative
2,000
229
543
133
315
526
162
132
337
508
136
325
452
252
381
137
120
141
146
137
130
124
129
136
1,440
1,443
1,425
87
1,488
86
256
301
1,508
83
236
301
1,521
100
217
299
1,509
103
239
334
1,416
275
341
1,348
161
132
1,338
Number of Active Employees
10,000
FY 1999
FY 2000
FY 2001
FY 2002
FY 2003
FY 2004
FY 2005
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
0
Types of Employment (Appointment Type) in the USGS by Fiscal Year
Science Occupational Series 1316 - Hydrologic Technicians
1,400
1,200
210
184
198
169
124
176
49
9
67
71
10
13
12
62
65
11
6
66
9
129
72
8
161
94
16
104
Students
(SCEPs and
STEPs)
15
Term
800
Temporary
920
899
926
951
973
984
1,001
966
967
600
954
Number of Active Employees
1,000
64
165
125
400
Permanent
200
0
FY 1999
FY 2000
FY 2001
FY 2002
FY 2003
FY 2004
FY 2005
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
NOAA RETIREMENT FACTS
1996-2001 marked one of the busiest
retirement waves with 545 overall, 219 of which
were in NWS
On Average, 25% of retirement eligible
employees retire in the first year of eligibility,
with 30% retiring after 6 years of eligibility.
Financial/Administrative Employees (years 1-3
on average) retire closer to their eligibility date,
then those in Scientific Employees (4+ years on
average).
5 Year Counts by
65 70 72 219Office
5 46 9
7 545
7
Totals
YEAR
12
RETIREMENT ELIGIBLES 2009-2014
for GS-13+
UnSe
c
NMAO
39%
67%
69%
Staff
Ofc
OAR
61%
59%
NESDIS
NMF
S
NWS
NOS
55%
46%
53%
NOAA Retirement Eligible Through 2014
2,435 employees (19.6% of workforce) eligible today
Additional 2,146 employees (17.2% of workforce eligible 2009-2014,
totaling 4,581 employees (36.8% of workforce).
Greatest impact on mission critical occupations, as follows (through
2014):
– Meteorology – 733 employees (28.4%)
– IT Specialist – 455 employees (40.5%)
– Fishery Biology – 298 employees (31.9%)
– Hydrology – 96 employees (34.5%)
– Oceanography – 121 employees (44.3%)
– Budget Analyst – 60 employees (35.7%)
– General Physical Scientist – 232 employees (36.2%)
If 40% of our retirement eligible workforce retires by 2014 could lose
1,832 employees (14.7% of our workforce).
14
NOAA’S WORKFORCE CHALLENGES
By 2014, approximately
36.8% (4,581 employees) of
NOAA’s workforce will be
eligible for retirement.
Greatest impact is on their
Mission Critical Occupations.
Need to build pipeline of
candidates before the bus
takes these folks away.
Geoscience Workforce Age Distribution
New Jobs and Net Replacements, 2004-2014
Source: BLS slide by John Sargent, Senior Policy Analyst, Technology Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 2007
Cost-Benefit Factor Working Against Growing
STEM Workforce
Source: Science and Engineering Indicators ’06, NSB
(One Day Snapshot – October 28, 2008)
Position
scientists
Description
biologists, geographers, geologists, hydrologists
fishery biologists, marine mammal and fishery
specialists, physical scientists (3) meteorologist (1)
supervisory biologists, geographers, geologists, hydrologists
scientists marine habitat specialist, Director OST, physical
#
% # %
31 47
21 23
11 17
6
scientists, fisheries biologist, Chief meteorology
technicians
biology, electronics, hydrology
physical science, meteorology, survey, electronics
7 10
support
services
purchasing/budget/contracts (9), secretarial, IT (7)
16 25
writing/editing, budget/contracts, secretarial, IT (8),
meteorological interns (2), ocean vessels (12)
6
11 10
51 60
Useful Information About Current
Employment in the Geosciences
American Geological Institute (AGI)
http://www.earthscienceworld.org/careers/gw-06-002.pdf
http://www.agiweb.org/workforce
U.S. Dept. of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008-09
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos288.htm
Geoscience Research and Technical Positions
http://www.earthworks-jobs.com/acad.htm
Careers in Geology
http://geology.com/jobs.htm