Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse High-Performing Workforce

In September 2007, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sought the assistance of the National Academy to help it develop effective national strategies for attracting and retaining a diverse high-performing workforce for its mission-critical occupations. Ensuring a vibrant workforce pipeline for VA’s mission-critical positions is at the center of VA’s human capital challenges. The pipeline is becoming more stressed particularly in the health care field as the demand for these positions outpaces supply at an accelerating rate. VA’s pipeline challenges are driven by the slowing growth of the labor force; the aging veteran population, which is increasing the demand for healthcare workers; and the decline in educational performance and participation of U.S. students in science and math. Science and math education is essential to VA’s health care and research occupations.