WFA TALENT ACCELERATOR WORKSHOPS
Hands-on, cohort-based workshops to help cities improve how they hire.
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN ★
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN ★
SPRING 2026 TALENT ACCELERATOR COHORT
Deadline to apply is March 20.
★ Transforming City Hiring Processes workshop ★
Work for America’s Talent Accelerator Workshops are free, virtual learning experiences for city HR and operations leaders that want to make practical, near-term improvements to their hiring systems.
Each workshop series offers 8 weeks of guided instruction and peer learning with a cohort of up to 10 cities, as well as individualized coaching that give leaders clear, actionable outputs to improve a precise aspect of hiring in their cities.
Our Talent Accelerator Workshops help cities clearly see what’s happening in their hiring systems and focus improvement efforts where they will matter most.
Many cities face similar hiring challenges:
★ Slow or inconsistent hiring processes
★ Limited visibility into where delays or breakdowns occur
★ Data that exists but is fragmented or difficult to interpret
★ Difficulty communicating hiring challenges and priorities to leadership
Learn more about the Transforming City Hiring Processes workshop, or join us for a Talent Accelerator Q&A session.
TALENT ACCELERATOR WORKSHOPS: 2026
TRANSFORMING CITY HIRING PROCESSES
Understand and improve all steps of how hiring actually gets done.
Cities map their hiring process from end to end, clarifying ownership, surfacing delays and friction points, and identifying concrete opportunities to streamline and shorten hiring timelines.
Cities leave with:
★ A clear, end-to-end map of their current hiring process (requisition through start date)
★ Identified bottlenecks, redundancies, and unclear ownership points
★ A prioritized set of practical process improvements
★ A brief for city leadership outlining findings and recommended next steps
★ Connections with peer HR and operations leaders facing similar challenges
This workshop is well-suited for cities seeking to streamline hiring times, reduce confusion, or improve the candidate experience. Learn more about the Transforming City Hiring Processes workshop curriculum and program details here.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE SPRING 2026 COHORT ARE OPEN
April 21 to June 9, 2026 (8 WEEKS) ★ TUESDAYS, 2 – 3 PM ET (VIRTUAL)
APPLICATIONS CLOSE MARCH 20, 2026
DATA-DRIVEN HIRING FOR CITIES
Use hiring data to guide decisions and set realistic goals.
Cities build a clear, data-informed view of hiring performance, then translate metrics into insights leaders can act on.
Cities leave with:
★ A summary of baseline hiring metrics
★ A cleaned and documented hiring data inventory
★ A leadership brief with evidence-based improvement targets
This workshop supports cities that want to move beyond anecdote and use data to prioritize and track hiring improvements.
COHORT LAUNCHING FALL 2026
WORKSHOP DETAILS
★ Format: Virtual
★ Duration: 8 weeks
★ Cohort size: 5–10 cities
★ Structure: Weekly 60–90 minute lessons plus guided working sessions
★ Time commitment: ~3 hours per week, with some additional internal coordination
★ Support: 1:1 coaching, templates, and feedback on deliverables
★ Peer network: Opportunity to connect and learn with HR teams from peer cities
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?
The Talent Accelerator Workshops are a good fit for cities that:
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Want practical, near-term hiring improvements
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Are willing to examine current processes and data honestly
★
Can commit a small cross-functional team (mainly from HR) to participate consistently across 8 weeks
Cities do not need perfect data, modern systems, or prior experience with process improvement. The workshops are designed to meet cities where they are, and we welcome cities in all stages of their hiring optimization journey.
APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR SPRING 2026 COHORT: TRANSFORMING CITY HIRING PROCESSES
Applications close on March 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Space is limited.
Selected cities will be notified by April 1, 2026.