To bolster the public sector workforce, many states have taken the step of eliminating unnecessary degree requirements.

According to a National Governors Association brief, “These actions—often through executive orders and legislation—have helped address workforce shortages, advanced skills-based hiring, and accelerated a broader national policy conversation. Importantly, they also highlight the outsized role of the public sector as the largest employer in most states.”

Throughout 2024-2025, the NGA developed a program called Skills in the States to bring together states and territories “to share best practices, address challenges, and develop tailored action plans aligned to state goals.”  It was supported by funding from Walmart.org,

This fall, according to the brief, which was released on September 25, the NGA will expand its emphasis on eliminating the need for degrees for all jobs into a second phase.

The goal, according to the NGA, is to expand “the initiative beyond public-sector adoption to foster a robust learning community of public and private sector leaders committed to implementing skills-first hiring and talent management strategies, in collaboration with Business Roundtable. This phase will strengthen alignment between state and territory governments (as employers), private sector businesses, workforce development organizations, and education providers.” 

According to an NGA release, the goals are to:

• “Identify key occupational and skills alignment across sectors, using data-driven approaches to track shortages in critical roles and ensure workforce development systems are responsive to economic needs.”

• “Develop standardized data and impact measurement tools to gauge effectiveness, improve scalability, and demonstrate the value of skills-first approaches.”

• “Address policy and operational barriers by creating frameworks for stronger public-private partnerships, modernizing credentialing, and fostering innovation in skills validation.” 

• “Integrate non-traditional talent pipelines—such as the National Guard and other underutilized populations—into public sector strategies through improved skills assessment and recruitment practices.” 

• “Provide tailored technical assistance to help states and territories design, implement, and scale skills-first strategies that build long-term infrastructure and capacity.” 

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