Public service is a broad term that encompasses all of the many different careers and organizations that contribute to the well-being of a community. It ranges from a volunteer fire department or ambulance corps to a community theater or food pantry. The term has traditionally been associated with a social consensus that certain services, such as education or health care, should be provided for everyone regardless of income. It also refers to the collective body of staff members in government agencies, who are known as civil servants or public service officials.
Public servants are dedicated to serving the public in an honest, ethical and professional manner. Those values are the foundation of all the work they do, whether it’s helping a child with a special need, ensuring that government operations are transparent, investigating alleged wrongdoing or defending our national security.
Our public service institutions are facing a new challenge – the workforce is aging and many of our best employees are leaving for other jobs. This is a crisis for the country and the civil service must be reformed to attract and retain the next generation of leaders.
We must revitalize the concept of citizen duty and push graduates toward careers in government. And we must reform the hiring process, opening up more middle- and upper-level positions to competition from outside. This will be a small price to pay for bringing in talented new workers who share our values and commitment to excellence.