Akron becomes Ohio's first "Spotlight City" in public workforce initiative

• Akron hopes to tap that talent for roles in public safety, finance, and city administration.

State of play: As part of the designation, Akron will pilot new recruitment strategies, co-create an employee value proposition with city staff, and join a national advisory board on public-sector hiring reform.

What they're saying: "What's happening in Akron is bigger than filling jobs — it's rewriting the story of public service," said Caitlin Lewis, executive director of Work for America, in a press release.

• "For too long, government work has only been noticed when something goes wrong. Akron is flipping that script by lifting up the voices of its own employees and showing why serving this city matters."

Zoom out: Akron joins Kansas City and Allentown, Pennsylvania as Spotlight Cities.