Show Notes

Today on the show, Tyler chats about the path to working in defense tech with two of Silicon Valley Defense Group’s early-career employees, Dylan Mullins & Sarah Hess. The two shed light on some of the reasons behind the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining young tech talent within the sphere of national security. They share their own stories, including the hiring process, as well as the pros and cons of working in this industry. Finally, they open up about why they chose to do government work and give their pitch for why defense is a viable, and admirable, destination for the next generation of tech workers.
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What’s Happening on the Second Front:

• Acknowledging the slow clearing process for new defense tech workers 
• Why the pace of private sector jobs is so attractive 
• How to stop the mass exodus of early-career tech talent from government work
• A call for leadership and direction-setting across innovation units 
• Why there’s never been a better time to work in defense

Connect with Dylan: LinkedIn | Website

Connect with Sarah: LinkedIn | Website

Connect with Tyler: LinkedIn | Website

This show is produced by Soulfire Productions
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Top Relevant Quotes:

“When it comes to attracting talent to the government, the sheer amount of time that people have to wait to be cleared is a major problem.”
Sarah - 4:53

“I’m seeing my friends, fellow Truman scholars that did end up going to work for federal agencies, they’re doing amazing work but their potential is being limited by the slow pace of the environment. Eventually, they’re going to decide to leave the government and pursue other endeavors that may or may not relate back to how we run our country.”
Dylan -

“For me, there was almost this realization that I probably do more good outside the government than I could inside the government. The government needs to leverage the private sector to a greater degree because the private sector has a lot of the expertise and the products that are going to, potentially, help us win in a great power competition moving forward.”
Sarah - 14:32

“This is really a special moment in time where the people who are actively engaged in the intersection of emerging tech and national security are really going to be making very important decisions that will have lasting ramifications for years and years to come.”
Dylan - 25:33

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