Workforce and People

A new facility at Portland Community College is helping students practice specialized manufacturing skills and cleanroom protocols using equipment that simulates a real manufacturing environment.

Lea Eriksen, who has been serving as director of the Department of Technology and Innovation for the Southern California city, will become the next senior assistant city manager in Culver City.

The North Carolina Economic Investment Committee has canceled a grant to incentivize hiring in Wake County, after a company attributed a lack of hiring to artificial intelligence automation.

Workforce opportunities and a desire for practical career development are driving Colorado college students to online classes and certificate programs in fields like cybersecurity and automotive technology.

Colin Ahern takes over as the state’s first director of security and intelligence. He brings two decades of Army, private-sector and public agency experience to the new job, which focuses on high-level risks.

The career technologist, who has held leadership roles in IT from Arizona to Oregon and San Jose to Seattle, will depart the public sector this month to join the division of e.Republic.

A new Energy Learning Center simulator at Washington State University Tri-Cities in Richland will allow students to learn and practice operating an advanced small modular nuclear reactor.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, how can public-sector teams prepare organizationally for the next generation of cyber attacks and equip themselves with the right tools?

From San Jose, Calif., to Washington, D.C., cities are advancing AI training for staffers or members of the public. Mesa, Ariz., recently launched its own AI education initiative to support adoption.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is funding eight projects to position cultural institutions as community hubs for AI education and workforce training.

Officials have formally named Bryce Bailey the state’s chief information security officer, elevating him from the interim role after nearly a month in place. Cybersecurity, he said, “is a long game.”

Elizabeth Crowe, the city’s director of urban analytics and innovation, has been selected to serve as interim chief innovation and technology officer, a role formerly held by Stephanie Wernet.

Jennifer Pittman-Leeper is GovRAMP’s new field CISO, which is an advisory role. Meanwhile, the nonprofit organization has now added North Carolina to the states that it provides cybersecurity guidance.

Tekquell Watson has more than 25 years of military and federal experience, including senior technical and leadership roles. She will oversee technology operations across the consolidated city-county government.

After more than eight years shaping the county’s technology direction and strategy, Mancini left the position earlier this month. During his tenure, he led a comprehensive modernization of legacy.

A new degree program within the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas will train students to design, build and deploy AI software and systems, as well as assess their social and ethical implications.

Melissa Scott was a veteran of Philadelphia IT before taking the lead as CIO in 2024. Her experience gave her insight into how the city should approach new technologies to best support staff and residents.

In 2025, the state launched its Frontier Stable Token and advanced system modernization; in 2026, the IT team will build on that foundation to leverage technologies like AI while building trust.