Dive Brief:

• Demographic forces are reshaping government IT departments.

• Nearly half of all state workers are between 45 and 64 years old, a Congressional Research Service report recently found.

• Some cities say as much as 60 percent of their technology staff will soon reach retirement age.

Dive Insight:

A significant number of public sector IT workers are nearing retirement age, and government CIOs are concerned. An improving employment market is making it more difficult for agencies to hire skilled replacements, as many government agencies struggle to match private sector salaries, office environments, schedule flexibility and other factors. As a result, some government CIOs are rethinking their strategy, with some rebalancing the ratio of permanent to contract staff, automating processes and engaging new partners in order to get the skills and resources they need. As they do, government IT departments may see a significant evolution over the next several years.