Revisiting the Information Technology Skills Gap in Master of Public Administration Programs

This study investigates how employees in government entities develop information technology (IT) competence and the extent to which training in Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs contributes to such competence. To facilitate this evaluation, we surveyed government employers and MPA program alumni and carried out a content analysis of MPA program offerings. We use results from the employer survey to gauge employer perceptions of IT-related knowledge levels of employees with MPA degrees, and we use the survey of MPA program alumni to ascertain alumni perceptions of their own competence. Our content analysis of MPA program technology offerings provides insight into what IT training is available to help students meet the identified functional IT needs of the organizations surveyed. Our findings indicate a gap between MPA curricula and such critical skills, and we provide recommendations for curricular changes to address this gap.