About a year ago, we published a Management Update about an exciting new initiative called “Transformers in the Public Sector”, which was intended to “help state agencies break down barriers for workers who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes (STARs) rather than a bachelor’s degree.”

The initiative, a first-of-its-kind effort was led by social enterprise Opportunity@Work and provided technical assistance support provided by The Volcker Alliance. The first group of states to take advantage of this opportunity were Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana and Utah.  

We’re pleased to report that this ambitious effort has had a successful first year and is now launching a second cohort—the 2026 Transformers in the Public Sector Cohort, to help governments embed skills-first talent practices in their operations, meet their talent needs, and expand opportunities to serve. 

“Our team is thrilled to be working with Opportunity@Work to expand Transformers in the Public Sector,” Volcker Alliance President Sara Mogulescu told us. “Though this important work, we are both attracting talented people who are skilled through alternative routes to public service careers and helping meet governments’ acute talent needs. It is a total win-win.”

The 2026 cohort will engage a broader range of public sector leaders—expanding to federal, state and local governments–and will provide support through two tracks:

• Technical Assistance for teams actively implementing skills-first practices in priority roles like budget/finance, HR/data analysis, or IT/cybersecurity, with dedicated coaching and tailored support.

• Training and Development for teams seeking foundational training and leadership development to build skills-based proficiency.

Applications are open until November 23.

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