Public Sector Hub

Promoting skills-based hiring to help federal, state, and local governments address their most pressing workforce challenges by creating opportunities for workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs). 

 

Why a Switch to Skills-Based Hiring Matters

Federal, state, and local governments are facing severe labor shortages. They are struggling to find the skilled talent needed to deliver services and realize the promises made to their constituents.

This skills gap is really an opportunity gap. By focusing on skills rather than pedigree when hiring, the public sector can tap more than 70 million STARs – half the US workforce – who have the skills needed for many of these jobs but are often screened out by degree requirements.

 

 

States Are Leading the Way in Removing Degree Requirements

Opportunity@Work helps government leaders understand the critical role STARs can play in their hiring strategies and in their region’s workforce. We work with those leaders to implement hiring practices that will help government entities and regional businesses find the skilled, diverse talent they need.

 


 

The Maryland Example

To address Maryland’s labor shortage, Governor Larry Hogan signed an executive order to remove degree requirements from most state jobs in 2022.

 

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In less than a year, 14 states have followed Maryland’s example – opening up more than 330,000 state jobs to STARs. And the momentum keeps building…

 

 

Interested in working with Opportunity@Work on a public sector workforce issue? Contact us:

 

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