STARs Public Sector Hub

Fifteen cities and counties have removed unnecessary degree requirements from government jobs. They're hiring better, building representative workforces, and opening pathways for thousands more STARs. This guide shows how they did it.

How Mississippi moved beyond “any job is a good job” to focus on mobility and accountability.

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Practical policy strategies to make skills the key measure of value in the labor market — in how government hires and promotes, how it spends and contracts, and how it counts skills in its data. Choose your path to get started.

Five states. One mission.
Solving the real challenges of skills-based hiring together.

Write job postings that attract skilled talent—use this template to focus on skills instead of degree requirements.

How one city went from economic mobility crisis to fastest-rising in the nation

Developed with public sector partners, Opportunity@Work's Government as Employer Playbook gives government leaders a practical roadmap to adopt skills-based hiring and build government into a model employer that hires for skills.

Draft legislation that removes degree barriers and advances skills-based hiring—use model bill language and examples from 15+ states.

Developed with state HR leaders, this guide gives senior HR leaders an executive-level roadmap to embed skills across every HR function, from workforce planning to hiring to development.

Remove unnecessary barriers, expand talent pipelines, and build a skills-based public sector workforce—with model language and real-world examples from 15+ states.

See how 30+ states are removing unnecessary degree requirements and advancing skills-first hiring—proven strategies you can learn from and implement.

Use this proven testimony template to make the case for removing unnecessary degree requirements in your city or state.

Use this proven template to announce skills-based hiring policy change in your city—customize with your ordinance details and leadership quotes.

Common strategies and practices for assessing workers' skills—from hiring through onboarding, learning, and advancement.

How five archetypes help government leaders move from confusion to clarity.

The STAR Mobility Compass shows that it is possible to make significant improvements to STAR mobility and strengthen hiring pipelines by prioritizing skills in hiring, compensation, and job design.

An employer's guide to tearing the paper ceiling

Build pathways for STARs in the public sector through public sector apprenticeships

Registered apprenticeships can help public-sector employers recruit and retain a skilled workforce that reflects the communities they serve

Insight on STARs as critical contributors to the public sector workforce

Previously recorded webinar (April 18, 2024) — Learn from leading practioners from NJ, MA, and CA on implementing skills-based hiring practices

Interactive data tool for exploring your local labor market with a STARs lens

Learn how to use STARSight to find data about STARs

Step-by-step guide for using the Activating Untapped Talent in Your Region Template

This customizable presentation template gives workforce and government leaders a ready-made framework for building a compelling, data-driven narrative around hiring workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) — people who developed their skills through community college, apprenticeships, bootcamps, or on-the-job experience rather than a four-year degree.

Tearing the Paper Ceiling: How State Actions Expand Opportunities for STARs

Learnings from the City of Philadelphia’s City College of Municipal Employment.

Learnings from a decade-long talent transformation at Louisiana's State Civil Service.

A statewide initiative reimagines talent practices to build a more inclusive, future-ready workforce.

A statewide policy shift removed degree requirements and expanded opportunity for workers across Maryland.

A data-driven review opens new pathways into state government roles for STARs.

Insights on STAR skills and mobility opportunities in a transitioning economy.

A policy case study on how Opportunity@Work helped Chicago eliminate unnecessary degree requirements and unlock opportunity for nearly 2 million STARs.

How Los Angeles County’s Internal Services Department partnered with Per Scholas to launch a registered cybersecurity apprenticeship program.

How Hennepin County expanded access to public service careers by removing unnecessary barriers and building skills-based pathways for local talent.

How Virginia Works + Virginia’s Department of Human Resource Management partnered to scale skills-based talent practices across state government.

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The following paper from Cicero Institutr proposes a skills-based hiring reform for public jobs

Executive order template to remove unnecessary degree requirements

State legislation template to remove unnecessary degree requirements

A fact sheet from Cicero Action that provides a snapshot of Maryland's workforce

A fact sheet from Cicero Action that provides a snapshot of Utah's workforce

Previously recorded webinar (February 25, 2025) — Learn from policy experts about recent federal policy shifts and their impact on STARs and the public sector workforce

Previously recorded webinar (January 23, 2025) — Valuable insights on the current policy landscape for workforce development and what organizations are working on related to skills-first practices in 2025

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Previously recorded webinar (November 7, 2024) — STARs Public Sector Hub partner The Cicero Institute showcases their recent playbook that outlines how to successfully implement skills-based hiring in the public sector

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Previously recorded webinar (July 18, 2024) — Live demonstration of Opportunity@Work's STARs Data Dashboard

Previously recorded webinar (September 26, 2024) — Learn about practices used by federal government leaders to implement skills-first hiring and find resources available to advance skills-based hiring in your organization

Development strategies and best practices for federal agencies

The future of workforce training starts here. America Achieves’ Workforce Pell Resource Library equips governors, workforce leaders, educators, and philanthropic partners with the insights, strategies, and resources needed to successfully implement Workforce Pell. From policy guidance to implementation roadmaps, these tools help turn federal opportunity into real outcomes for workers, employers, and communities.

The Good Jobs Initiative’s Skills-First Starter Kit is a short guide on hiring, promotion, and talent management built around worker skills

A state and local guide to high-quality, equitable workforce development from the US Department of Treasury

Learn how SkillUp works with partners throughout the industry

Learnings, milestones, and worker outcomes from SkillUp

The American Connection Corps is the nation’s premier AmeriCorps service experience, advancing economic prosperity in rural and emerging communities

Learn more about adding critical capacity to your organization by bringing top talent back home to serve

Learn more about American Connection Corps' impact in 2023

Learn more about American Connection Corps' state partnerships

Recommendations for reforms to ensure the federal government is leading on skills-based hiring

Policy priorities to equip workers with the new skills they need to get ahead in a new economy

Breakdown of Workforce Pell Act and A Stronger Workforce for America Act

Build and leverage relationships between rural employers for a stronger workforce.

Six states’ work on the key elements for implementing outcomes-driven strategies and funding

How can community stakeholders use human-centered design principles to create meaningful and real job opportunities for the most vulnerable people in their communities?

A publication from The Volcker Alliance explores the skills most needed for the next generation of public servants

National demographic and occupational data on low-wage workers

Key takeaways about the barriers to scaling earn-and-learn opportunities

What are the trends in digital innovations in skills and employment pathways, and why should we care?

Examples of how state and local governments are using American Rescue Plan's fiscal recovery funds to support climate-oriented corps programs

State actions to value skills from outside the classroom

Learn how large cities and counties are deploying ARPA funds

Analysis of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act accompanied by a set of action items to guide planning and strategy development

Research from the Brookings Metro provides a practical overview of the numerous but under-discussed and sometimes indistinct workforce programs included in the CHIPS and Science Act