Workforce and People

Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Department of Education are promoting STEM by awarding letterman jackets and $1,000 scholarships to distinguished students, and spotlighting schools for STEM leadership.

The cloud computing service for public agencies will tap the expertise of retired generals, a former governor and a CIA engineer to help clients build digital tools. Projects have focused on data and wildlife protection.

Kiran Ahuja, director of the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees hiring for the 2.2 million-person federal workforce, said there are about 1,000 job openings in metro Atlanta for federal jobs.

The city's recently announced cybersecurity and digital services apprenticeship program will help upskill job seekers in underrepresented communities and connect them to the city’s IT workforce.

As Missouri navigates a $126 million project to upgrade computer systems, the state is also in need of a new CIO. Jeffrey Wann, the state's CIO for three-plus years, has stepped down.

Co-founder and CEO Anthony Jamison discusses CivStart’s startup program — providing curriculum, market insights, key mentorships and strategic guidance to young companies looking to serve government.

A company initially designed to expand elective offerings like cybersecurity and animation, almost immediately saw how it could fill gaps in common core subjects like geometry, algebra and physics.

At last week's NASCIO Midyear conference in Washington, D.C., leaders like North Dakota CISO Michael Gregg outlined their approaches to tapping new talent pools for state IT.

Virginia and Maryland are utilizing various workforce strategies to create online training programs, empower agencies with a pipeline of skilled workers and provide existing employees with upskill opportunities.

Penn State, Westmoreland Community College, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Community College of Allegheny County will receive $1.5 million for spaces that give tech manufacturers access to equipment and services.

Michael Otsuji, who has worked for various state departments in the past 40 years, will lead the Office of Information Technology Services starting next month. Former interim IT leader Christine Shaw will be his executive assistant.

With a steady hand and commitment to collaboration, the former Mississippi state CIO left his mark on the public-sector IT community.

Maurice Classen, who has a decade of government experience, has been hired as chief operating officer of Zencity after using the social analytics software to make leadership decisions during Chicago's COVID-19 response.

To get the next generation of IT talent into government, Montana CISO Andy Hanks wants candidates to think of state IT work as a great way to bookend a career in technology.

A public university in Georgia will collaborate with Savannah River National Laboratory in research and global security projects related to cybersecurity, cyberphysical systems, data analytics and quantum cryptography.

The pandemic and other factors permanently changed the relationship between agencies and tech professionals, speakers argued at the group’s conference. Here’s how to get ahead of the curve on hiring and retaining talent.

When it comes to what IT functions can be contracted out, Iowa CIO Matt Behrens said it’s important that his office “not outsource our brains” and make sure that decision-making stays in-house.

As technology becomes more complex, and hiring among public agencies often becomes more challenging, some experts are encouraging more recruitment of neurodivergent workers. Here’s how to get it done.