NCJ Number
230107
Journal
Journal of Strategic Security Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 1-6
Date Published
November 2008
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article outlines the core competencies and technical expertise that should be addressed in intelligence education, as well inspiration for students to make intelligence a career, and the article identifies what features of intelligence education should be taught in universities and what should be part of training by the intelligence community (IC).
Abstract
Although any IC consists of analysts, collectors, support/infrastructure staff, and science and technology personnel, all share a common set of "core competencies." The IC depends on universities to provide its graduates with a grounding in these core competencies. Two of the five core competences - critical thinking and communication - are effectively addressed in academia. Critical thinking pertains to how to think about problems and how to apply logic and reasoning skills. Graduates should also have a high level of competence in verbal and written communication; however, beyond the basic communication skills, some nuances of communicating are unique to IC organizations and are best learned in the organizations. Most communication within the IC is now done electronically, so a high level of skill in using information technology tools is required. Colleges are effective in teaching information technology skills. The remaining three core competencies are accountability for results; personal leadership and integrity; and engagement and collaboration. This article distinguishes the features of each of these competencies and how they are cultivated in the educational system and ICs. In addition to core competencies there is a distinctive set of technical-expertise competencies required for each intelligence occupational category. This article provides an overview of these competencies as defined in Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 610 issued by the Director of National Intelligence in September 2008. The article further identifies which of the technical-expertise competencies are best taught in academia and which are best covered in IC training.