While agencies are working to close the intelligence skills gap, personnel shortages exist in critical areas, and procedures slow the hiring process and fail to capitalize on the talents of existing employees. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act was designed in part to address these problems. The act requires increased hiring of intelligence personnel, the establishment of an intelligence scholarship program, an expedited security clearance process and better education and training.

While the changes contained in the Intel Reform Act are important strides forward, closing the intelligence skills gap will require following through with sustained funding of its new programs, greater strategic coordination between agencies on personnel issues, and a much stronger commitment from managers to make recruiting, retaining and engaging talented workers a top priority.