Editor's note: This story is posted with permission from the anonymous federal employee who shared it with us. Some edits were made for length and clarity.
I am a young federal employee, between 20-25 years old, and I recently relocated hundreds of miles to serve the American people in a new position as a systems architect. Growing up, I had many direct encounters with civil servants, several being family members, at the local, state and federal level. They were people dedicated to their work to serve their fellow Americans and communities. I joined the federal workforce in January of this year to carry on the commitment and service many of them gave and some continue to give.
Funnily enough, my role is to help design, develop, and modernize systems for my agency's workforce to improve efficiency and collaboration between teams and other agencies. My office is a diverse mix of contractors and govies (career government employees) who provide technical expertise and guidance to deliver and maintain mission-critical infrastructure used all over the world from directly supporting the warfighter to securing and defending the data of all Americans and our allies. There is a fairly steep learning curve for new-hires to learn the ways of the government, but that does not stop me or others from taking on the challenge to serve our country. I go into work every weekday bringing my best work ethic and a smile on my face, even on the days filled with obstacles.
Many probationary employees are young people, like myself, looking to build their careers and find their niche. They are the reason why the federal government remains resilient and can continue to provide public goods and services to our communities across the United States and globally as the older folks in the workforce prepare for retirement or departure to private sector roles. Young people bring in new ideas, new perspectives, and new paths forward that make the USA a world leader and strong collaborator in many industries and innovation.
We are the next generation of the federal workforce and the lifeblood of the government. We are the future of this country. We are committed to our roles as educators, scientists, researchers, engineers, diplomats, and many more. We are serving the public one day at a time. We are rising up to the challenges the current administration throws at us. We are standing our ground.