CAREERS & the disABLED magazine selected the National Security Agency as the 2021 Public-Sector Employer of the Year, a testament to the agency’s continued commitment to providing equal employment opportunities and fostering a fair and equitable work environment.
“The National Security Agency is honored to be named the Public-Sector Employer of the Year by CAREERS & the disABLED magazine,” said Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, Director, NSA/Chief, CSS. “The Agency’s success in building and sustaining a talented workforce is firmly grounded in how effectively we build a culture of diversity, equality, and inclusion.”
The career guidance and recruitment magazine for people with disabilities honored NSA with the award for its “commitment to recruiting, hiring, and promoting people with disabilities,” according to the magazine’s editor Barbara Loehr.
Gen. Nakasone said he is committed to ensuring NSA embraces principles of equal opportunity and inclusiveness so that every member of the Agency can work in an environment of respect, fair treatment, and full engagement with their work.
“We at NSA will pursue our vision of diversity, equality, and inclusion with the same intensity we apply to delivering exceptional intelligence and cybersecurity products to defend our nation,” he said.
NSA is constantly developing new ways to improve its recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of individuals with disabilities. The Agency established an initiative known as “the Big Six” to enhance the progress of building an exceptional workforce and culture. It focuses on: Implementing fair personnel practices across the Agency; senior leader accountability; accessibility of facilities and usability of services; recruiting and hiring a diverse workforce; onboarding and mentoring; and developing a pipeline of diverse senior candidates.
“Equal employment opportunity is a cornerstone of American democracy, and diversity is one of our Nation’s greatest strengths,” Gen. Nakasone said. “Providing reasonable accommodations when needed and ensuring transparency, equality, and fairness in our personnel practices helps everyone succeed.”
“We are thrilled that NSA is being recognized as a leader in hiring people with disabilities,” said Kate Wadsley, Chair of the NSA’s People With Disabilities (PWD) Employee Resource Group (ERG). “The passion of the PWD community has undoubtedly aided in ensuring NSA remains an Employer of the Year for People with Disabilities.”
