Work for America Spotlights Innovative Public Works Recruitment Strategies in Baltimore and Columbus With New Case Studies
New case studies showcases how cities are rethinking hiring for public works roles, expanding talent pipelines to meet growing workforce demands
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sophie McGrath, Work for America, press@workforamerica.org
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
BROOKLYN, NY — Work for America (WFA), a nonprofit focused on rebuilding the talent pipeline into state and local government, today announced the release of two new case studies spotlighting innovative strategies the cities of Baltimore and Columbus are deploying to address critical workforce shortages in public works.
Together, the reports offer a practical roadmap for governments navigating one of the most pressing challenges in public service: hiring and sustaining a workforce to maintain the essential infrastructure and services that communities across the country rely on.
WFA developed these case studies in partnership with the City of Baltimore, the City of Columbus, the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA), and the American Public Works Association (APWA).
“Baltimore and Columbus prove there's no single fix for the public works hiring crisis,” said Caitlin Lewis, Executive Director of Work for America. “One city changed how hiring works; the other changed who gets to be hired. When leaders fix broken systems instead of working around them, our cities get stronger.”
The case studies illustrate two powerful approaches to a shared challenge facing local governments nationwide: how to compete for talent in a tightening labor market.
In Baltimore, the Department of General Services didn’t wait for policy changes; it rebuilt how hiring works from the inside out. Facing high vacancy rates and slow timelines, the agency transformed a decentralized process into a rapid, performance-managed system. By introducing standing interview schedules, condensing hiring timelines into single-day events, and holding teams accountable with real-time data, the City of Baltimore’s Department of General Services significantly reduced time-to-hire and cut vacancies in critical roles.
“I often say that Baltimore’s Renaissance is here, which means economic growth, exciting new projects, and greater opportunity across the city,” said BaltimoreMayor Brandon M. Scott.“We want to make sure our residents feel the benefits of that growth, including by creating strong workforce pipelines to City jobs. DGS is a prime example: Baltimore residents—many of them high school students, training to fill critical roles supporting our fleet and facilities.”
In Columbus, the solution wasn’t just faster hiring: it was creating a stronger, more intentional pipeline. Through a partnership with the Ohio Reformatory for Women, the City connected job-ready candidates to public works careers before they reentered the workforce. By aligning training, certification, and hiring with real workforce needs, and integrating participants directly into standard career pathways, the City of Columbus built a model that delivers not just hires, but long-term retention and advancement.
While Baltimore focused on improving the speed and effectiveness of its hiring systems, Columbus demonstrated how cities can expand access to public sector careers by tapping into new and often overlooked talent pools.
To bring these approaches to life, WFA partnered with APWA and PSHRA, two leading national organizations at the forefront of public sector workforce development. APWA and PSHRA played a critical role in elevating these models, helping translate on-the-ground innovation into practical strategies that can be adopted by governments across the country.
“We’re proud to lead with innovative strategies that not only help us recruit and retain employees but also expand what’s possible in public sector workforce development,” said Scott D. Grayson, CAE, CEO of the American Public Works Association. “The City of Columbus program demonstrates a successful model for building a pipeline into public works while supporting women who are ready for a fresh start. We hope others across the public sector see this case study as an invitation to rethink what’s possible. Creating opportunity and strengthening our workforce at the same time is a win‑win we’re committed to.”
“The hard work and HR leadership highlighted in these case studies illustrate the best of what the public sector has to offer,” says Cara Woodson Welch, PSHRA CEO.“The efforts of the cities of Baltimore and Columbus also showcase the type of innovative practices and approaches government agencies are adopting to tackle the workforce challenges facing them.”
Both case studies underscore a broader shift in how governments approach recruitment, moving beyond traditional, passive methods toward proactive, data-driven, and inclusive strategies.
From redesigning internal hiring systems to building structured workforce pipelines, these approaches demonstrate that meaningful progress is possible without waiting for large-scale policy changes.
The full case studies are available here:
About Work for America
Honored by Fast Company as one of 2026 World’s Most Innovative Companies, Work for America is a nonpartisan nonprofit rebuilding the talent pipeline into state and local government. We connect talented professionals to public sector roles, help governments modernize how they recruit and hire, and inspire the next generation of public servants to see government as the most powerful place to drive progress. By expanding pathways into government and telling a new story about public service, Work for America is helping communities build the teams they need to deliver results.
Our work has been recognized by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and TIME. Read more here.
About American Public Works Association (APWA)
The American Public Works Association is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 30,000 members involved in the field of public works. APWA serves its members by promoting professional excellence and public awareness through education, advocacy, and knowledge exchange. APWA was recently named one of the “2026 Best Nonprofits to Work For” by The NonProfit Times. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, has an office in Washington, DC, and 62 chapters and 97 branches throughout North America.
About Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA)
Celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2026, the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA®) is proud to mark more than a century as the leading member community connecting public sector HR professionals at all levels of government with the insights, education and expertise to realize their potential and position them for future success.
