Cities and counties expand skills of their technology teams to meet today’s cyber-threats

Government IT operations are vulnerable. More than a third of IT leaders in state and local governments say their number one challenge heading into 2024 is the possibility of a data breach as a result of inadequate staffing. These findings are from a recent survey from Ensono, a technology consulting and managed service provider.

Cities and counties need a variety of skills on their tech-buying and IT maintenance teams, says Dean Johnson, senior executive government advisor at Ensono. Johnson previously worked for more than two decades managing IT initiatives for the Georgia state government. His view: Cybersecurity experts are essential for safeguarding sensitive public sector data and are needed more than ever in local government workforces.

Johnson says local governments face several key challenges when they try to recruit, train and retain IT staffers. He says they “struggle to attract and retain qualified candidates due to comparatively lower salaries offered in the public sector as opposed to the private industry.” He points to other challenges:

• Inadequate training programs for existing staff members in government can hinder their ability to keep up with evolving technologies. This helps contribute to a skills gap.
• Problems with recruitment and retention of government workers further compound the issue of maintaining an adequate workforce.
• Jurisdictions lack a comprehensive strategy to address these concerns and ensure a skilled and motivated IT workforce in local government. They need a complete strategy to maintain appropriate staff counts to meet growing workloads.

Johnson says one way to meet these challenges is to develop a hybrid workforce leveraging public-private partnerships with managed service providers. He adds: “With our Flex Engineering capabilities, Ensono can tailor a solution to address many of the skill gaps found within local government.”

Johnson says there are tools that cities and counties can use to recruit experienced IT maintenance staffers. “Local governments can leverage their existing staff members’ vast network of the skilled IT workforce they already know. They can use a variety of outreach techniques (email, LinkedIn, phone calls, texts, etc.) that your staffers regularly use to stay in touch with their peers and contacts throughout the industry.” His conclusion: “Referrals from existing staff are one the most effective ways to recruit, especially when recruiting in the public sector space, given the unique nature of many of these positions.”

Technology procurement in local governments demands a variety of skills, Johnson believes. He lists some of the key players who belong on the tech-buying team:

• The chief information officer (CIO) provides strategic direction, aligning technology initiatives with organizational goals.
• An IT project manager oversees project implementation, ensuring effective resource allocation.
• Cloud ERP specialists facilitate the transition to cloud-based systems, enhancing efficiency.
• AI and Internet of Things (IoT) specialists contribute innovative solutions.
• Cryptocurrency and e-procurement specialists can help governments navigate evolving trends.
• Other skilled personnel, including database administrators, IT support professionals, data analysts and network administrators can help the public sector ensure day-to-day operations, data management, informed decision-making, and infrastructure maintenance are well-addressed.

The Ensono executive offers this final opinion on team building: “This diverse team composition reflects a holistic strategy, vital for successful and forward-thinking tech-buying decisions in local government settings.”

Johnson says digital transformation in organizations (including governments) involves the mapping of the technology being used to the business functions that the organization performs. “Public sector employees at large will need to have the skill to map the relevant data and technology resources to the business functions they serve in government. These staffers will need to work out what information is consumed and then define how it’s delivered back to agencies and the public that uses it.” He adds that governments can assess their current workers who understand the business side of government. Those workers, he explains, can be trained to work as business analysts, data architects, and program managers.

Johnson points to one procurement tool that can offer potential value: “Cooperative purchasing agreements can indeed be extremely instrumental in helping cities and counties secure the necessary IT support services for their jurisdictions. By collaborating with other entities, local governments can benefit from economies of scale, negotiating better rates, and accessing a broader range of expertise. This approach fosters cost-effectiveness, enhances procurement efficiency, and allows for shared resources, enabling municipalities to navigate the complexities of IT support services more effectively.”

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].