Security Clearance Careers Podcast

Ryan Carpenter and Nandita Balakrishnan of the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonpartisan nonprofit working to advance U.S. national competitiveness in the age of artificial intelligence, join us on this episode of ClearedCast.Ryan and Nandita share how SCSP is shaping the future through two powerful initiatives: the AI + Expo, a three-day event in Washington, D.C., bringing together government, industry, and academia to collaborate on AI's impact across sectors—and a brand-new, free Coursera course titled AI and National Security, built to educate and empower mid-career national security professionals.They discuss how national security now intersects with economic and technological domains, why adaptability is essential, and how SCSP creates accessible pathways for students, mid-career professionals, and policy leaders to reskill, upskill, and lead.Whether you’re a policymaker, student, or professional in a skiff wondering where to begin—this episode has something for you.🧠 Learn more and register for the AI + Expo: https://expo.scsp.ai/ 🎓 Enroll in the free Coursera course: AI and National Security https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-national-security

If you are like most people, your work life will not follow a straight line. The average person changes careers five to seven times during their working life. I’ve pivoted a few times myself. I went from marketing in college, to social work, to admin, to recruiter and now back to marketing. Each of these major shifts led me to a better place and resulted in a dynamic career I couldn’t possibly have envisioned or planned.So, today we cover all things pivoting and figure out if it’s actually a wise thing to do - Owen Pycha, Strategic Talent Acquisition MetroStar joins the podcast to talk about his career pivots. From Wegmans, to tech, to sales, to recruiting, Owen shares his insights on what made his career pivots as smooth as possible. 

On this episode of the Security Clearance Careers podcast Sean Bigley and Lindy Kyzer discuss the finer points of why security clearance holders should report security concerns. With updated security clearance reporting requirements mandating reporting on not just yourself, but questionable actions by coworkers, it's worth understanding what a security risk is - and what it isn't.

In recent months, significant federal workforce reductions have been implemented through initiatives led by the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. These cutbacks have profoundly affected federal employment opportunities, particularly impacting veterans, minority groups, public health services, and have have broader economic implications​.That’s why clearancejobs created FedWork.net.Today's podcast discusses ClearanceJobs, clearances, & FedWork.net – the newest resource for federal careers.Introduction to security clearances and why they matterHow ClearanceJobs and FedWork.net help professionals in cleared careersTips for navigating job opportunities in federal and defense sectorsCommon clearance challenges and how to overcome them

If you haven't been on the job search for awhile, you may be surprised to see folks comparing today's job search to the dating journey. Sean Bigley and Lindy Kyzer discuss why maybe it's not great to think about your next employer as the great love of your life, but it may be a good thing for employers to take notions of gamification and online content mapping to make the job search process a little more consumer-friendly.

Aisha Bowe, a trailblazer in the field of aerospace engineering, is making headlines once again as she prepares to embark on an extraordinary journey to space. This monumental achievement is not only a testament to her personal dedication and expertise but also highlights the groundbreaking work of her company, STEMBoard.She joins the Security Clearance Careers Podcast to discuss.