The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) directed federal agencies to make technology recruiting a central element in their fiscal year (FY) 2027 workforce plans and to target at least 33% of external hires for early-career workers.
In guidance issued July 30, OPM instructed agencies to incorporate dedicated hiring plans for artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, software engineering, data science, digital service delivery, and other technology positions into their staffing plans due Sept. 30.
The guidance said agencies should “identify where adoption of modern technology impacts the number and type of positions needed, and plan hiring accordingly.”
OPM also encouraged agencies to leverage the U.S. Tech Force program and its agency-specific extensions, such as NASA Force and War Force where applicable. It also encouraged agencies to leverage the CyberAICorps Scholarship for Service program as a pipeline for early-career AI and cybersecurity talent.
“Planning for technology and planning for talent are no longer separate conversations,” OPM Director Scott Kupor wrote in a July 30 blog post on the guidance.
OPM’s guidance also said that agencies must explicitly address how their staffing strategy will enable the use of modern technology, such as AI.
The guidance encouraged agencies to use the optional, fee-for-service AI Governance and Adoption Program to accelerate their AI programs. Agencies seeking AI support and additional information can contact AIGAP@opm.gov.
“In many cases, the right investment in technology will allow agencies to deliver better outcomes with greater speed and efficiency,” Kupor wrote. “In other cases, agencies will need to recruit new technical talent or upskill their existing workforce to take advantage of those opportunities.”
The guidance also establishes government-wide hiring targets that agencies must address in their FY 2027 staffing forecasts. Among them is a goal that at least 33% of all new external hires be early-career workers, including recent graduates, Pathways Program participants, interns, and other entry-level employees.
Agencies are also expected to fill at least 60% of external competitive-service hires from shared hiring certificates. All external hires must be assessed using a validated technical assessment or an OPM-approved alternative.
The memorandum also encourages agencies to locate new technology and customer-facing positions outside the Washington metropolitan area when mission requirements permit. OPM said this approach can reduce costs, expand the available talent pool, and strengthen agency presence in the communities they serve.
Under the guidance, agencies must submit their FY 2027 staffing plans and detailed hiring forecasts to OPM and the Office of Management and Budget by Sept. 30, followed by quarterly progress updates measuring performance against the government’s hiring targets.