Workforce and People

The first time Waterbury Fire Department in Connecticut conducted its EMT exam on computers, an investigation found seven of 13 cadets had taken advantage of the technology and lax supervision to cheat.

Work for America and its Civic Match job platform near the one-year mark with 11,000 job seekers and partnerships across states and cities.

The Georgia Fintech Academy, a partnership between the University System of Georgia and some of the world’s largest payments companies, says it has served more than 10,000 students since it was established in 2018.

A new report from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers examines the role of state chief data officer with perspective from 27 people occupying that position, on everything from experience to funding.

Mayor Daniel Lurie has named Jessica MacLeod the city’s first chief of strategy and performance. A gov tech veteran, her previous roles include serving as director of digital service and open government for San Rafael, Calif.

New Haven is the first of three Connecticut cities to emerge with a share of $100 million designated by the state to promote the expansion of next-generation technology in Connecticut.

Equipped with $50 million, the Louisiana Growth Fund is one of Louisiana Innovation's first initiatives after launching earlier this year to prime the state in developing technology businesses.

Suma Nallapati, CIO for the city and county of Denver since 2023, will expand her title to chief artificial intelligence and information officer, a move Mayor Mike Johnston says will help position Denver as a leader in AI.

Chief Innovation Officer Denise Linn Riedl will exit her role in November after leading the city’s innovation office for more than six years.

Plus, Puerto Rico is offering free technical training — ranging from cloud computing to AI — through a new partnership, Arlington County, Va., aims to build digital skills with a new navigator program, and more.

Central Community College will use a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to teach industrial automation to working adults and students in adult education programs.

Jacob, the state’s former chief digital transformation officer, succeeds longtime executive deputy CIO Jennifer Lorenz. His priorities will include helping provide AI education and training to the state workforce.

Privacy and accessibility are connected in a digital environment, according to an Idaho official who leads work in both areas, and who said she believes both are key responsibilities of state employees.

After signing a bill in April to create the office, Gov. Greg Abbott has elevated an executive vice president at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a nonprofit research organization, to lead it.

From Arizona to Maine, 17 projects will join the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s RAMPS initiative, to strengthen local pipelines of cybersecurity talent. A lack of personnel persists even as cyber attacks scale up.

The TECH Mobile Initiative project will provide approximately 800 students at high schools and career centers with STEM education, training and credentials tailored to specific career pathways.

According to officials at a public university in Alabama, working with local industry and workforce partners in high-demand fields such as computer science and cybersecurity has helped drive enrollment growth.

Veteran technologist Alison Deigan, who spent two decades in federal service and oversaw a $150 million technology portfolio, has been appointed the county’s new IT director. The role, she said, has personal significance.