By Stephen Barr
Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Forty-five years ago, President John F. Kennedy gave a call to action that brought a new generation of federal employees into government:

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

But most of the "ask not" generation has quietly left federal service, and a mainstay of the federal government -- the baby boom generation -- will be retiring in the next few years. The transition to the next generation may be one of the most important facing the government because polls show that many young people see little appeal in government service.

In a bid to renew interest in public service, the nonprofit Council for Excellence in Government plans to launch an Internet-based project this morning to provide research data and ideas that commencement speakers at middle schools, high schools and colleges can use to talk about the importance of working in government.

"It is a simple thing that we think could have a lot of impact," Patricia McGinnis , president of the council, said yesterday.

The Web site ( http://www.excelgov.org ) will provide a sampling of speeches by presidents and famous people on the importance of public service, including a selection of inspirational quotations, and some polling data on attitudes toward public service.

The council plans to spread the word about its Web feature in time for speakers to use at this spring's graduation ceremonies and to help mark Public Service Recognition Week, an annual event that starts May 1 and highlights the importance of federal, state and local government employees to the nation.

McGinnis said the council will contact members of Congress, governors, mayors and the president's Cabinet to urge them to issue a call to public service at graduations and at their other speaking engagements. "Everyone who speaks wants to issue a few challenges to the audiences, and this is the perfect one for people who have been in public service," she said.

The council, which has about 700 former government executives as members, sponsors fellowships and other programs aimed at enhancing interest and understanding of the government. A 2004 survey conducted for the council found that only 27 percent of young people said they had been asked by their parents, teachers or others to consider government as a job option, down by 11 percentage points from two years earlier.

Federal agencies, however, will soon need an influx of new hires. Personnel officials predict that substantial numbers of federal employees -- about 60,000 annually in the 2008-2010 period -- will retire. In recent months, agencies have been at work on plans to step up recruitment and reduce the time it takes to hire job applicants with foreign language, technology or other critical skills.

Officials also acknowledge that college graduates who take federal jobs may not stay for traditional 20- and 30-year careers, as past cohorts have done. McGinnis said she expects to see different career patterns and preferences from the next generation of employees, including more people who come and go from the government to work at nonprofit organizations and in companies.

"That could be a pretty good thing; that brings a broader perspective," she said.

To reflect the views of young job hunters, she said, "we have taken 'career in government' out of our Web site, and we talk about 'working in government.' "

Even though government has its share of problems, McGinnis said that "people are focused on government and the important role of government, and everybody knows that we have to do better. We have an opportunity to make a generational transition over the next few years. The call to young people is to come and shape the government that you will be leading."

At noon tomorrow, Robert M. Tobias, director of public sector executive education at American University, will be the guest on Federal Diary Live on washingtonpost.com and will take questions from federal employees. Stephen Barr may be reached atbarrs@washpost.com.