Across the country, local governments are facing a dual challenge: persistent vacancies in critical public service roles and a workforce that does not yet reflect the communities it serves. At the same time, more than 70 million workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes — known as STARs — are ready to fill these roles but are too often screened out by degree requirements that do not predict job performance.

Apprenticeships offer a proven solution: a structured, earn-and-learn pathway that connects talented workers to public sector careers while giving government agencies the skilled, diverse workforce they need. Investment in apprenticeship is growing at every level of government at the same time that a growing number of state and local governments have removed unnecessary degree requirements from many government roles. The moment is ripe to build skills-based pathways to public service — and apprenticeships are a powerful way to do it.

This session brings together leaders who are doing exactly that. Hear from cities and counties who have successfully built and deplyed apprenticeship occupations across their department and services, proving that skills-based talent pipelines work in even the largest and most complex governmetn systems. 

And learn how Opportunity@Work’s STARs Public Sector Hub is providing the tools, research, and partnership infrastructure to help more agencies launch and scale apprenticeship programs.

Whether you are a human resource or workforce development leader exploring apprenticeships for the first time, a policymaker looking to translate skills-based talent goals into real outcomes, or an apprenticeship intermediary seeking public sector partnerships, this session will give you insights from those on the ground-floor doing this work in local government– and the real results these apprenticeship programs have driven for government.

You will leave with: actionable insights on program design, cross-departmental coordination, training provider partnerships, and the change management strategies that make public sector apprenticeships possible and sustainable.