Program to rotate cyber personnel through federal agencies saw little use | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/opm-federal-rotational-cyber-workforce-program-gao\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Program to rotate cyber personnel through federal agencies saw little use\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The number of people who got approval to be in the Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce program was in the single digits, GAO found.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/opm-federal-rotational-cyber-workforce-program-gao\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-16T19:18:19+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" 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class=\"wp-singular post-template-default single single-post postid-89849 single-format-standard wp-theme-scoopnewsgroup wp-child-theme-cyberscoop\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/opm-federal-rotational-cyber-workforce-program-gao\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"26.1\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"35.224747474747\">\n<p> The number of people who got approval to be in the Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce program was in the single digits, GAO found. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/89849\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg 7582w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=505,337 505w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=1012,675 1012w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-2.jpg?resize=1264,843 1264w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px\"><figcaption> A sign marks the location of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) headquarters building on January 29, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by J. David Ake\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"28.765765765766\"><body readability=\"60.123581336696\"><\/p>\n<p>A total of eight cyber personnel have served in a program that began in 2022 to rotate workers between federal agencies to bolster the workforce, a watchdog report said Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>Over the life of the Federal Rotational Cyber Workforce program that effectively went away last year, 13 agencies offered 106 positions and received 634 applications, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/assets\/gao-26-108736.pdf\">Government Accountability Office<\/a>. Eight workers won approval to participate.<\/p>\n<p>The goal of the Office of Personnel Management-led program, established by <a href=\"https:\/\/fedscoop.com\/lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-create-federal-rotational-program-for-cyber-experts\/\">bipartisan legislation<\/a>, was that \u201cparticipating employees develop knowledge and skills that they can bring back to their home agencies,\u201d as the GAO noted.<\/p>\n<p>A couple major factors account for the low participation, the study found. One was the sharp decline in eligible advertised positions: 75 in 2023, 31 in 2024 and none in 2025 or 2026.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As of December of last year, OPM said it planned to advertise positions on Connect.gov, but this year OPM said it didn\u2019t do so and wouldn\u2019t be advertising positions due to \u201cbudgetary constraints,\u201d according to the report.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOPM officials stated that they do not anticipate any agencies offering positions in 2026, and that OPM does not intend to invest resources in advertising and managing the program going forward,\u201d the report reads. \u201cAs a result, OPM officials stated that the agency does not intend to post advertised positions in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The other major factor was that even though there were 634 applications, OPM said there were issues with many of the applicants, including that they were underqualified, didn\u2019t obtain necessary approval in advance of applying or were contractors who weren\u2019t eligible.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, \u201cIt was often easier for agencies to allow employees to serve cyber rotations within their own agency,\u201d OPM reported.<\/p>\n<p>OPM evaluated possible shortcomings in implementing the program in late 2024 and developed plans for improving it, but never followed up on them, the GAO said. As of next summer the program will officially end, OPM said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The program isn\u2019t the only one that feds have tried to implement to address the persistent gap in cybersecurity skills and experience. Nor is it the only one to <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyber-scholarship-for-service-students-say-government-has-pulled-rug-on-them-potentially-burdening-them-with-debt\/\">fall on hard times<\/a> in President Donald Trump\u2019s second term, as the administration slashed budgets at agencies and forced out cyber personnel.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":8834,"date":"2026-07-16T14:18:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:18:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=89849"},"modified":"2026-07-16T14:18:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:18:19","slug":"program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/07\/16\/program-to-rotate-cyber-personnel-through-federal-agencies-saw-little-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Program to rotate cyber personnel through federal agencies saw little use"},"content":{"rendered":"