Interviews | 2026  

The Talent Imperative: Rethinking Workforce Planning in State and Local Government

State and local governments are competing for talent in a labor market shaped by new employee expectations, expanding career choices and rapid technological change.

Posting a vacancy and waiting for applicants is no longer enough. Government employers must actively recruit, explain the value of public service and build workplaces where employees can develop new skills and move throughout their careers.

Recorded at the NASPE 2026 Annual Meeting, this episode of State Gov Today explores how state human capital leaders are rethinking recruiting, skills-based hiring, employee development, career mobility and succession planning.

The discussion shows why workforce strategy must extend beyond filling today’s vacancies to building resilient talent pipelines for the decade ahead.

Host George Jackson speaks with:

  • Nicole Tucker, Chief Operating Officer, Louisiana State Civil Service
  • Kelly Hardwick, State Personnel Director, Mississippi
  • Jonathan Patterson, Chief Deputy Director, Civil Service Commission, State of Michigan
  • Leslie Scott Parker, Executive Director, NASPE