This post was originally published as a press relase on GSA.gov.
WASHINGTON — Today, the Biden-Harris Administration welcomed 40 U.S. Digital Corps fellows who will serve at 13 agencies across the federal government. Over the next two years, they will help shape a more equitable, effective, and secure digital government for the public.
The U.S. Digital Corps launched last year to recruit early-career technologists to work on priority projects in five skill tracks: software engineering, data science and analytics, product management, design, and cybersecurity. Fellows will work on projects in a wide range of areas, including health, immigration, customer experience, and equity.
The program and the fellows’ work strongly aligns with Priorities 1 and 2 of the President’s Management Agenda, as well as executive orders on cybersecurity; customer experience; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the federal workforce.
“The Biden Administration is committed to making it easier for talented technologists across America to serve the public,” said Robin Carnahan, the Administrator of GSA. She met with the group today and officially swore the fellows into federal service. “From a pool of over 1,000 applicants, we’re thrilled to welcome such a high-caliber cohort to help government deliver better for millions of Americans.”
Housed within GSA’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS), 40 fellows were selected from a pool of over 1,000 applicants from 19 states and territories, and 37 academic institutions. This first cohort of fellows includes veterans; technologists who have reskilled from other fields; and recent graduates from certificate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs. Eighty-three percent of fellows are first-time federal employees.
“TTS is proud to be the home of the U.S. Digital Corps,” said Dave Zvenyach, TTS Director. “We are dedicated to supporting and mentoring these early-career technologists as they work to increase trust in government through simple, seamless, secure, and equitable experiences. This cohort will deliver important services to the public, as well as enable public servants to better serve the public.”
The two-year fellowship offers unique benefits, including a dedicated learning and development curriculum, mentorship, a cohort-based community, as well as the opportunity for permanent career positions in federal service when fellows successfully finish the program.
“As an immigrant and a veteran, I experienced government services firsthand and understand how difficult they can be to navigate. I want to use my skills and experiences to make government services more accessible and equitable, and the U.S. Digital Corps is the perfect pathway for a new civic technologist like me,” said Jenny Wang, an incoming fellow slated to work on a project at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“This impressive cohort of next-generation digital leaders will be key to advancing technological innovation and effective technology policy across government,” said Dr. Alondra Nelson, who leads the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “Their work will bolster key administration priorities such as sustaining the economic recovery, preventing the next pandemic, and advancing equity.”
The U.S. Digital Corps is a whole-of-government effort led by GSA in collaboration with the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Office of Personnel Management, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The program received startup funding from the Federal Citizen Services Fund as part of the American Rescue Plan that President Biden signed into law.
Applications for the second cohort of fellows will open later this year, and GSA anticipates a larger cohort to meet significant demand from additional agencies across the federal government.
Learn more about the inaugural class of U.S. Digital Corps fellows.
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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet and overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.
