NASWA Technology Committee Releases 2025–2026 Priorities
A Shift Toward Resilience and Modernization
The Technology Committee has released its 2025–2026 priorities, marking a notable shift in focus from digital services to operational resilience. For the upcoming year, Budget, Cost Control, and Fiscal Management rose to the top spot, reflecting the impact of funding cuts on state operations and IT projects. Cybersecurity and Risk Management remain critical concerns, while Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to gain momentum as states explore its potential in workforce development. Notably, Digital Government, previously a top priority, dropped to #8, signaling a pivot toward foundational improvements like modernization.
Two new priorities entered the top ten: Legacy Modernization, which focuses on enhancing or replacing outdated platforms and improving business processes, and Vision and Roadmap for IT, emphasizing IT’s role as a strategic capability aligned with policy agendas. These additions reflect a growing recognition of the need for long-term planning and infrastructure renewal. States also identified modernization of both Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Workforce systems as top technology initiatives for the year, acknowledging that while agencies are at different stages, modernization is a continuous journey shaped by emerging technologies and evolving challenges.
NASWA's Policy Committees help define policies on issues that are critical to state workforce agencies. These groups are active throughout the year and meet regularly in order to collaborate on key issues across the national workforce system.
