You’ll find some familiar faces when you’re flipping through this month’s issue of American City/County magazine. Several ELGL members were interviewed for the article, Igniting the Flame: Sparking Interest in Tomorrow’s Government Leaders.
Local governments are at a crossroads. As workforces age and retire, many cities and counties are finding it difficult to attract younger people to fill positions as they are vacated. However, if these municipalities wish to continue to provide the same levels of service in the coming years, something must shift culturally to make government work more appealing to 20- and 30-year-olds.
Kent Wyatt, co-founder of Engaging Local Government Leaders and senior management analyst for Tigard, Ore., says the problem is twofold: Local governments need to work to attract recent college and MPA graduates as well as talented young people who may have already started their careers in the private or non-profit sectors.
One major issue is that city and counties generally do a poor job of selling themselves, so to speak. Where local governments typically drop the ball, Wyatt says, is in identifying the benefits of coming into their workforces.
Continue reading: How local governments are sparking interest in tomorrow’s leaders
Nominate a local government leader: Once you read the article, take a few minutes to submit a nomination for the “Igniting the Flame” award. Deadline is March 31.
Supplemental Reading