No crisis is likely in the near term. The concern for statistical agencies -- and across government broadly -- is more about a long-run erosion of expertise. Almost a third of career employees in 2014 were expected to be retirement-eligible by this year, according to a 2016 Government Accountability Office report that identified hiring young workers as a key public-sector challenge.
Students aren’t being scared off yet, said Allynn Powell, who is associate director for professional preparation in the career center at the University of Maryland, from which the statistical agencies hire heavily.
“To date, I don’t think that we’ve seen the shutdowns impact students,” she said. “Will the thought about stability change over time? Maybe. But for now, it’s still mission and stability -- that’s why students are choosing many of these opportunities.”
Still, Erica Groshen, a former Bureau of Labor Statistics chief, said government shutdowns could create a longer-run risk of attrition among people who value job stability or people whose enthusiasm for public work is quashed.
“The staff is phenomenally dedicated, and really care that they’re doing important, valuable work,” Groshen said. “Shutdowns are demoralizing. They send a message that maybe your fellow citizens don’t think that what you’re doing is important.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.