Since September 2023, the Department of the Air Force has gained unique strategic insights from an employee who is not traditionally one of its own.
Through the Public-Private Talent Exchange, Jamal Mahboob, a Google Cloud Platform Customer Engineer at Google Public Sector, has been participating in a professional development program with the DAF Chief Technology Officer, serving as a subject matter expert and technical advisor.
"I've enjoyed every minute of providing my technical expertise to help bridge the gap between industry and the Department of the Air Force," Mahboob said. "My time at the Office of the Chief Information Officer gave me a better understanding of the DAF and its needs, and I think opportunities like this truly showcase what public-private partnerships are really about."
The PPTE is a competitive, acquisition-focused professional development program designed to grow partnership opportunities and increase communication between government and industry. The PPTE affords Department of Defense and industry professionals an opportunity to gain exposure and experience in operations, business culture, and challenges and the opportunity to share innovative best practices.
"This ground-breaking program underscores our unwavering commitment to enhancing the partnership between military and industry, ensuring mutual growth, learning, and innovation," said Mark Tedrow, Force Modernization Career Field manager. "The PPTE marks a significant step in promoting a more dynamic synergy between the DAF and our industry leaders, thus building a more open culture of mutual learning, innovation, and continuous improvement."
Supporting collaboration with industry for the past 76 years, the Secretary of the Air Force acquisition force development has executed the Education With Industry Program, in which approximately 80 officer, enlisted, and civilian DAF personnel work with select industry partners for a 10-month immersion. The DAF has recognized tremendous value from these personnel, who then bring hands-on industry experience, knowledge, and perspective back to the DAF.
"The PPTE further solidifies the DAF's position at the forefront of innovation, allowing industry leaders to share cutting-edge practices and technologies that complement the military's expertise, accelerating the development and deployment of advanced solutions, ultimately enhancing and strengthening our National Security," said Tedrow.
