Exclusive: KC picked to launch national hiring program
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Kansas City is the first city in the U.S. to test a national program called Spotlight Cities aimed at filling local government vacancies with recently laid-off federal employees.
Why it matters: The federal government is the region's largest employer. And as layoffs, buyouts and attrition hit public sector jobs, local leaders are stepping in to keep experienced civil servants in public service.
The big picture: Civic Match, which Kansas City already uses, is Work for America's rapid-response platform that connects laid-off federal workers to city jobs.
- Spotlight Cities takes that further, partnering with local governments to revamp how they recruit and market careers in public service.
- Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a statement, "Kansas City has always been a city that gets things done, and we're not slowing down now. We see an incredible opportunity to welcome dedicated public servants who want to continue making a difference."
Between the lines: With more than 30,000 federal workers employed in the region, Kansas City is positioned to lead a national strategy to retain government jobs, especially amid budget cuts affecting federal jobs.
By the numbers: More than 10,500 displaced federal workers are currently exploring roles through Civic Match, according to Work for America.
- Of those, more than 200 are based in the Kansas City region, and about 100 listed KC as their hometown. Nearly 90% of them said they want to return to work in the area.
- Since layoffs began last year, the city has recruited for 17 roles across five departments using Civic Match.
What they're saying: "Kansas City has shown what's possible when local leaders step up," Work for America executive director Caitlin Lewis said in a press release. "This is about building teams that reflect our communities and serve them better."
- "We're in a once-in-a-generation moment to really rebuild the public sector workforce," she tells Axios. "Starting this work in Kansas City was a no-brainer."
How it works: Civic Match is a two-sided hiring platform that connects recently laid-off federal employees with local government jobs.
- Local hiring managers review applications, get tailored candidate shortlists and can reach out to applicants directly.
- With the Spotlight Cities launch, Work for America will support targeted recruitment in high-need departments, host a Civic Match happy hour to connect displaced federal workers with city roles, and launch an advisory board that includes Mayor Lucas.
What's next: Kansas City is the first of three cities to launch Spotlight Cities this year. The others haven't been announced.
- Work for America hopes the model can help cities across the U.S. rebuild and modernize their public workforces.