Workforce and People

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday filled a key opening in state technology leadership with the appointment of a new deputy state chief information officer in Jared Johnson, as well as four other senior-level officials.

GT's most-read stories from January and February 2022 covered the roll out of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, expanded definitions of remote work in government and our seventh annual GovTech 100.

Millions in New York state grants will go toward research facilities, programs and infrastructure at institutions such as Long Island University, Farmingdale State College and Stony Brook University.

Incarcerated individuals in some Texas prisons will no longer have to wait until their release to learn how to use the latest technology — like smartphones and other communications tools — through a newly formed program.

Ken Boykin’s plans to promote data-based decision-making start by convening a steering committee and advisory group, along with writing a charter for the recently revived role he now occupies.

As private-sector technology companies continue to announce layoffs, state and local government agencies looking for workers to bolster the public-sector workforce may be able to hire some of the skilled talent.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, which makes rocket engines and motors, will expand its Huntsville operations with more jobs and a new 379,000-square-foot manufacturing facility near Huntsville International Airport.

In recent years, union members and employers alike have watched the electrical industry move toward renewable energy, data storage, telecom technology and electrification, among other specialties.

The State Risk and Authorization Management Program (StateRAMP) announced its 2023 board of directors Friday, led by Arizona CIO JR Sloan. A mix of public- and private-sector voices make up this who’s who of gov tech.

Many new governors and re-elected incumbents will now consider appointments to lead state departments. But an expert cautions IT leadership to resist the temptation to play politics as states’ power balance shifts.

They are young, starting careers and are beginning to vote. But Gen Z and its traits and attitudes promise to influence gov tech soon enough. What can the industry do now to prepare for that future?

Tarek Tomes, who was appointed by Minn. Gov. Tim Walz in 2019, will stay on to lead Minnesota IT Services in a cabinet-level position. Tomes is one of Government Technology’s Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency announced Wednesday that it has chosen Deloitte to replace the decade-old Michigan Integrated Data Automated System, which has struggled to detect fraud.

A study on municipal operations recommended that the city hire more staff and introduce more technology to address needs in its building, planning and code enforcement departments.

In just the last week, tech companies Twitter, Lyft, Stripe and Meta have all announced large-scale job cuts. Data suggests San Francisco's tech industry job losses may have actually started several months earlier.

SpaceX has begun constructing a half-million-square-foot building on a rural property in Bastrop, right across the street from where another Elon Musk-owned business venture, The Boring Company, has taken up residence.

Jefferson Lab, the Department of Energy particle accelerator facility in Newport News, plans to hire dozens of new positions and upgrade research equipment and workspaces with millions in new federal funding.

Expecting its first group of graduates in spring 2024, a new bachelor of science in engineering technology program at Ohio State University at Lima could improve the talent pipeline for area manufacturers.