CIOs working in the public or government sector are facing the same challenges their brethren in private industry face--a decreasing skilled labor pool, and the mandate to deliver technology minus the technical expertise to make it happen. Yet some innovative CIOs have come up with new strategies and approaches to work around the staffing and skill set challenges. Michigan pooled its entire IT organization into one resource center, undertook a complete skill inventory and then re-structured its tech teams and project list. The CIO at Delaware's Department of Technology and Information team took IT out of the civil service realm, which let him boost salaries to entice needed skilled professionals. He then had current staff members reapply and reinterview for jobs, so that skills would be better utilized within the department.

For more on working with the IT skills you have:
- read this article at Public CIO