The Future of the IC Workforce: Gaining Information Advantage
INSF partnered with QINETIQ US on a three-part 2023 "Future of the IC Workforce: Gaining Information Advantage" webinar series. Through this year long effort, private and public sector leaders discussed key factors affecting the intelligence community's ability to use open source to gain information advantage over its adversaries.
2023 Series Whitepaper!
This paper summarizes the year-long multimedia series, which brought together senior leaders from government and 
industry to discuss the intelligence community's ability to gain information advantage through its workforce, alliances and partnerships, and tradecraft and data.
Key findings include:
- Incentive Pay and Unique Training Opportunities: Unique training opportunities and special pay incentives are key to the IC maintaining a competitive advantage when it comes to attracting and retaining a diverse, highly educated, workforce.
- Modernized Recruiting Systems: Integrating new technologies like the "Handshake" application platform into HR systems has improved communication, broadened geographic reach, and diversified the applicant pool.
- Personal Relationships and Human Connections: While formal agreements and treaties can govern alliances and partnerships, it is the personal relationships that bring these relationships to life. As personnel move to different assignments, new perspectives gained from experiences working alongside international allies and partners enable innovative approaches to solving complex problems in new mission areas.
- Transparency and Cross-Functional Integration: Information advantage can be gained when information sharing among international alliances and public-private partnerships is based on transparency and integration of partner needs from the project's inception. Furthermore, the series found a greater prioritization of open-source intelligence (OSINT) can contribute to a flexible information sharing environment.
- Human-Machine Teaming Enabled by AI: Current advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have led to an OSINT “renaissance.” AI now serves as a force multiplier, allowing human analysts to focus on nuanced and complex analysis.
EPISODE ONE:
The Workforce
On Monday, May 15, the Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF) launched the 2023 “The Future of the IC Workforce" Multimedia Campaign, a three-part series focused on Gaining Information Advantage.
The first installment examined the IC workforce, and featured Scott Coltson, Deputy Director for Mission Services, DIA; Christine C. Parker, Senior Strategist, Acting Senior Advisor to the Chief Human Capital Officer, NSA; Pamela Hardy, QinetiQ US; and moderated by Lindy Kyzer, Director of Content at Clearance Jobs. View Event Recap!
EPISODE 2
Alliances and Partnerships
On Monday, August 14, the INSA Foundation (INSF) held the second installment of the 2023 "The Future of the IC Workforce" Multimedia Campaign, Gaining Information Advantage: Alliances and Partnerships.
(L-R, Lindy Kyzer, ClearanceJobs.Com; MAJGEN Michelle McGuinness, DIA)
The discussion featured David Cattler, Assistant Secretary-General for Intelligence and Security, NATO; Major General Michelle McGuinness, Deputy Director for Commonwealth Integration, DIA; and was moderated by Lindy Kyzer, Director of PR and Content for ClearanceJobs.com. View Event Recap!
EPISODE 3
TRADECRAFT AND DATA
On Friday, October 13, the INSA Foundation (INSF) held the third and final episode of the 2023 INSF/QinetiQ US Multimedia Campaign, Gaining Information Advantage: Tradecraft and Data.
(L-R, Lindy Kyzer, ClearanceJobs.Com; Corey Vitello, PhD, Roku Inc; Randy Nixon, CIA)
Special thanks to program speakers, Randy Nixon, Director, Open Source Enterprise, CIA and Corey Vitello, PhD, Senior Director, Global Security & Workplace Solutions, Roku, and moderator Lindy Kyzer, Director of PR and Content, ClearanceJobs.com.
The program kicked off with Mr. Nixon describing how until recently, the abundance of information was once of the greatest weaknesses in the open-source world. He noted that "we collect such a vast volume of information" from foreign sources to such a scale it was impossible for any of our mission partners or customers to read it all. However, with the use of AI tools, we are now "in a renaissance" when it comes to open source capabilities. Mr. Vitello noted that "security is a business unit" and our role is to help our company flourish economically. So, having access to a plethora of information and distilling it to useful and actionable intelligence allows us to have a competitive advantage over our competitors. Read event recap.
Underwritten by:
QinetiQ US is a leading defense and national security company providing mission-led, customer focused engineering and innovative solutions for next generation ISR, advanced cyber technology, mission operations and multi-domain autonomous systems to deliver a decisive and actionable information advantage and counter near peer adversaries.
As a provider of secure, technologically advanced services and products to the US Department of Defense, Homeland Security, Intelligence Community and other national security agencies, QinetiQ US is committed to closely partnering with our customers to enable them to deploy new and enhanced capabilities that protect lives and our nation’s vital interests.
Presented by: 
