Workforce and People

A public-private partnership called the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance aims to support career awareness and exploration for PreK-12 students focused on high-tech advanced manufacturing in mid-Michigan.

For decades, governments nationwide have predicted a coming tidal wave of retirements will cripple critical government services. But recent surveys say otherwise.

Officials announced that the state has joined the OpenAI Certification Program through a partnership with OpenAI that will bolster AI skills in workers and students. It builds on an earlier initiative, the OpenAI Academy.

A public technical college in Wisconsin is offering a new certificate through its IT and network associate degree program that will qualify students to work at a nearby AI data center scheduled to open next year.

Garrison Coward, the state’s former deputy chief transformation officer, has been elevated to the helm. The role supports cabinet secretaries and agency heads in everything from project management to creating tech solutions.

The nonprofit Education Design Lab's Community College Growth Engine gives community colleges a blueprint and resources to create short, stackable, workforce-oriented educational programs co-designed with employers.

The Delaware Department of Technology and Information has promoted a leader in enterprise security operations to the top cybersecurity role in the state. A longtime exec, he previously held it on an interim basis.

The state’s cybersecurity work, through its Joint Security Operations Center, involves a network of people working with different entities to enhance and harden the overall security posture.

Willigar has worked for the state for more than a decade, and has helped boost cybersecurity defenses among various agencies. His new job at Microsoft will reflect his public-sector experience.

Plus, members of Congress are calling for clarity on the use of nondeployment funds under the BEAD Program, New York is investing millions in broadband, and people who are incarcerated are learning digital skills.

Louisiana’s capital city is looking for its next top technology exec as CIO Eric Romero prepares to depart. He has served three decades in its IT division and has been its director since 2012.

From cloud migration and modernizing legacy systems to expanding broadband and piloting AI tools, the state is taking a practical approach to technology strategy. The CIO’s highest priority is moving off mainframe.

A new resource from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration offers states guidance on how to use federal funding to support AI literacy training in the workforce.

The Silicon Valley city has selected four startup companies — building AI-driven solutions ranging from maternal health to food waste reduction — from more than 170 applicants to receive grants and professional support.

Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier said enrollment last year was at its highest point since 2013, and the colleges are working to integrate AI into various learning programs.

Montana has joined a series of states, with its decision to dedicate an executive position to leading on artificial intelligence strategy and advancing the ethical implementation of the technology.

Some new terms are becoming popular in tech and cybersecurity careers, along with some unsettling workplace trends around burnout and fear of layoffs as AI gains ground in both the public and private sectors.

A private liberal arts college in Pennsylvania is offering 28 microcredentials, or digital badges that indicate acquired skills, in fields like AI engineering, game design and cybersecurity risk analysis.