“Earlier this year, I joined a bipartisan movement of Governors in signing an Executive Order that prioritizes work experience and practical skills above a college degree for New Jersey State employment opportunities. For too long, many smart and talented New Jersey STARs have had a distinct disadvantage in accessing good, public sector roles due to unnecessary degree requirements. Opportunity@Work’s STARs Public Sector Hub will provide government leaders with the resources they need to take the lead on tearing the paper ceiling and demonstrating how to tap into STARs to strengthen the talent pipeline into state government and open opportunities to so many.”

— Phil Murphy
Governor, State of New Jersey

“In Utah, we’ve removed degrees as a barrier-to-entry for 98% of roles in the state executive branch. Instead of focusing on degrees, we’re focused on demonstrated competence. This is a move that can strengthen state governments, make the government a model employer, and connect STARs to thriving wages and careers.”

— Spencer Cox
Governor, State of Utah

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is creating millions of good-paying jobs and expanding economic opportunity, including in urban and rural communities across the U.S. Many communities need additional know-how and support to quickly make these investments and set workers up with the skills and training they need for success. Organizations like Opportunity@Work are helping state and local governments use their State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to make sure that those opportunities are available to American workers, particularly those without a college degree.”

— Wally Adeyemo
Deputy Secretary
U.S. Department of Treasury

“Iowa is home to nearly 850,000 STARs – over 60% of the state’s workforce. For Iowa to build a competitive and sustainable economy, it will need to tap into the talents of these workers to fill critical roles in demand in the public and private sectors. We’re excited that the STARs Public Sector Hub will be launching in 2024 to provide us with the resources and know-how needed to advance us – and so many others like us in the public sector – on our skills-based journey.”

— Rob Sand
Iowa State Auditor
Office of Auditor of State

“When I was Governor of Maryland, we worked with Opportunity@Work to transition our state’s hiring to a skills-based approach based on their research showing that employers are leaving talent on the table by continuing to prioritize degrees in the hiring process. Opportunity@Work’s STARs Public Sector Hub is expanding on that work by using their wealth of data, research, and expertise about STARs and skill-based hiring to enable federal, state, and local governments to play a leadership role in catalyzing change across the labor market.”

— Larry Hogan
Former Governor, State of Maryland
& Honorary Chair, An America United

“Over the past two years, the federal government and private sector have made unprecedented investments in place-based economic growth. Now, the question is whether states and regions across the country will be able to scale up the workforce necessary to make the most of those investments. STARs – skilled but often overlooked workers—are an important part of the solution to this talent shortage, and the STARs Public Sector Hub can help economic and workforce development leaders connect these workers to the economic opportunities generated by this historic investment surge.”

— Joseph Parilla
Senior Fellow and
Director of Applied Research
Brookings Metro

“A growing body of research indicates that governments are leaving talent on the table by prioritizing degrees in the hiring process. Opportunity@Work’s new STARs Public Sector Hub is translating that research into action, and will help city, state, and federal government partners attract the talent required to deliver the services citizens depend on.”

— Sara Mogulescu
President, The Volcker Alliance

“The Cicero Institute has been honored to help advance this important reform with legislation and executive orders in states across the country and looks forward to working with Opportunity@Work to help those states realize the full potential of opening the workforce doors with skills-based hiring.”

— Jonathan Wolfson
Chief Legal Officer & Policy Director
Cicero Institute

“Over the past several years, Grads of Life has been working deeply with Fortune 500 employers who are leveraging skills-first talent management practices to expand their talent pools and broaden access to economic opportunity and mobility for individuals without a four year degree. As the Skills-First movement continues to gain momentum, it is outstanding to see public sector leaders committing to make STARs a key part of their talent strategy, and we look forward to supporting their success adopting critical skills-first talent management practices to achieve their goals.”

— Elyse Rosenblum
Managing Director & Founder
Grads of Life