Strengthening the Public Works Talent Pipeline with Jonathan Gano

At PWX 2026, Des Moines’ director of public works outlined how to improve hiring practices and attract more workers
At PWX 2026 in Houston, Jonathan Gano spoke to Roads & Bridges about how public works departments can strengthen the pool of talent applying for jobs.

Gano, director of public works in Des Moines, Iowa, spoke on a panel titled, “Future Ready Hiring: Strengthening Your Talent Pipeline,” and today, he is hosting a lecture titled, “How to Create an Apprenticeship Program.”

Gano has been Des Moines director of public works since 2015, and before that, he was the assistant director of public works for Springfield, Mo.

About the Author

Gavin Jenkins, Head of Content

Head of Content

Gavin Jenkins is an award-winning journalist based in Pittsburgh. His work has appeared in The New York TimesThe Washington PostThe AtlanticVICE, Narrative.lyPrevention, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Beijing Review

In 2020, two stories he wrote for Pitt Med Magazine earned three Golden Quill Awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. “Surviving Survival” won Excellence in Corporate, Marketing and Promotional Communications – Written, Medical/Health, while “Oct. 27, 2018: Pittsburgh’s Darkest Day, and the Mass Casualty Response” won Excellence in Written Journalism, Magazines – Medical/Health, as well as the Ray Sprigle Memorial Award: Magazines, a Best in Show award.

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in 2003, he covered sports for the Bedford Gazette, in Bedford, Pa., and the Martinsville Bulletin, in Martinsville, Va. In 2006, he returned to Pittsburgh to write for Trib Total Media. Based out of the Kittanning Leader Times, he worked for the Trib for two years, and then he moved to Shenzhen, China, to teach English and freelance. After two years in China, he earned an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh.

When he's not at work, he's usually playing with his border-collie mix, Bob.

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