Public Service renewal: The kids will be just fine, thank you.

Public Service renewal: The kids will be just fine, thank you.

Ok it’s a cheeky title, but it gets to the heart of an interesting question: With a substantial number of boomers retiring from the public service, is the next generation of public servants and executives (Exs) ready? This “readiness debate” as I call it, takes many forms, one in particular is interesting: How can the many “about-to-retire-public-servants” transfer their knowledge to their less experienced colleagues? I think this is a false debate. The reason? The world in which public servants develop policies, administer programs and serve Canadians is dramatically different than it was a mere fifteen years ago and the internet has been important driver of that change. As a result, different tools and approaches are required and the incoming generation is already taking steps in that direction. This is not to say that all will be smooth sailing, but with a little experimentation, and a generous amount of support, I am confident that the kids will indeed be alright.