The Triangle is growing fast. Its public workforce has to keep up.
Central North Carolina's Research Triangle is one of the nation's fastest-growing regions - and that growth is straining the local governments that keep it running. Our Public Workforce Initiative helps cities, towns, and counties across the region recruit, retain, and support the people who deliver public services every day.
Local government is one of the region's biggest, most overlooked career opportunities.
It's the second-largest employment sector in the Triangle. Nearly half of its roles don't require a four-year degree, and many come with stable wages, real benefits, and a clear path up — assets that are getting harder to find anywhere else.
- 4,000+ regional workers in local government roles that don't require a bachelor's degree
- #2 local government's rank among the region's largest employment sectors
One connected route toward a stronger public workforce.Tackling different part of the workforce planning and design journey, from the data governments use to make decisions, to the doors that open for job seekers, to the jobs themselves.
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Advancing Pathways to Government (P2G) A new report highlights how the Pathways to Government (P2G) model can target high-vacancy, high-opportunity careers, coordinating regionally to make public service careers easier to see, access, and succeed in — linking community colleges, apprenticeships, and feeder industries to local government hiring pathways. This initiative was commissioned by the United Way of the Greater Triangle (UWGT) and carried through a collaboration of the Raleigh Innovation Team (i-team) and Central Pines Regional Council.
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Human Resources Consortium An intergovernmental partnership open to every local government in the CPRC region. Members shape Consortium priorities together, share expertise, and access high-quality HR data — streamlining processes and building coordinated strategies for recruitment, retention, and long-term workforce success. Currently Underway: A secure, regional database of salary, benefits, and job classification data — built to support equitable, evidence-based HR decisions across jurisdictions.
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Advancing Workforce Mobility Grant Central Pines Regional Council has been awarded $200,000 through the Advancing Workforce Mobility Initiative, a $3.5 million national effort led by Education Design Lab in partnership with Credential Engine and supported by Walmart. Selected as 1 of 10 grantees from more than 400 applicants nationwide, this work responds to a challenge we continue to hear across our region: local governments are struggling to fill critical roles, even as many individuals already have the skills to succeed through work experience, community college, military service, or other non-degree pathways. Through 2028, CPRC will be working with our local governments to develop resources that increase transparency of necessary job skills for high-vacancy roles, and map to existing continuing education or credential programs in the region, so a candidate's real experience can show up in hiring, not just their diploma.
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LOGO Careers & Career Expo The LOcal GOvernment Career Expo connects job seekers directly with local government employers across the region, emphasizing career exploration and transferable skills from the private sector alongside open roles. Attendees join workshops and info sessions, talk with HR professionals and subject-matter experts, and are contacted directly by participating employers. Now in its third year, it's connected thousands of job seekers to public-sector careers. Learn more and register for the 2026 LOGO Career Expo on August 29th at logocareers.com.
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Shop Local. Work Local Just as "Shop Local" encourages supporting community businesses, our Work Local campaign showcases what it means to bring your skills to your own community — through a city, town, or county. Community planning, marketing, IT, public safety, environmental health: there's a path here, no matter what you are trained in.
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