Jon Rogers

Before coming to Indiana about five years ago, Jon Rogers spent time as a high school teacher, a legislative aide to a U.S. senator and a member of the CIA. He recalls making a case each time he switched jobs for why his prior occupation gave him the skills needed for the new work. Essentially, Rogers explained how experience in one field could lead to success in another.

This has helped Rogers — now director of strategic workforce planning for the Indiana Office of Technology — and his team create one of the most successful reskilling workforce programs in all of American governance: Indiana’s State Earn and Learn program (SEAL). SEAL gives people from all walks of life a chance to make a midcareer pivot, to go from restaurants and factories to working for state government, usually in tech. It does this through a hybrid schedule that allows for pursuing industry certifications while getting work-based experience at the same time.

It’s been a staggering success. Nearly 85 percent of the dozens of SEAL participants have gone on to state employment. This comes at a time when state IT shops nationwide frequently list workforce as a top challenge. SEAL has been so successful that Rogers has had conversations with agencies in other states about how they might replicate it. The program is also consistently recognized with accolades, including recently garnering “Innovative Program of the Year” from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.

In short, Rogers has helped ease state IT staffing needs while at the same time changing people’s lives. Although he downplays his role.

“I see this portion of their lives as a prequel,” Rogers said. “The real important story is what happens after they graduate and begin their own IT journey.”

But he does find it satisfying to help folks overcome psychological barriers and land rewarding careers. Rogers calls his own grandfather, who spent nearly 40 years as a firefighter, his “North Star for the importance of public service.”

While his grandfather never saw the success of SEAL — he passed away in 2019 — he would surely be proud of how it’s helped both Indiana and the people who live there.

This story originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Government Technology magazine. Click here to view the full digital edition online. After this issue went to press, Rogers left his role with the Indiana Office of Technology to become director of strategic workforce planning for the state's Department of Child Services.