Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver provided a status update on the Office of Administration’s (OA) efforts since the beginning of the Shapiro Administration to make Commonwealth hiring more efficient to attract highly-qualified and motivated individuals to deliver the programs and services that Pennsylvanians rely upon each day.
As of June 30, 2025, the average time to fill a vacant position was 54 days, down from 58 days in the previous quarter and down from 90 days in January 2023.
Additionally, the vacancy rate for positions that process permits, licenses, and certifications remains at five percent, down from 14 percent at the beginning of 2023. This has helped to clear backlogs and improve response times across state agencies. For example, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced a 98% reduction in its permit backlog, due in part to filling vacant positions that review applications.
“When state agencies have the people they need, they can work more efficiently and provide timely services to Pennsylvanians,” said Secretary Weaver. “Our work to reduce time to hire is part of Governor Shapiro’s broader efforts to improve customer service and make government more responsive to the people we serve.”
In January 2023, OA began piloting measures to streamline hiring and connect with more job seekers. This included expediting all steps of the hiring process for positions related to licensing, permitting, and certifications; holding hiring events at Commonwealth facilities that enabled job seekers to apply on-the-spot and receive immediate interviews and conditional job offers; and rearranging the selection process sequence for maximum efficiency. More recently, human resource staff have started piloting the use of generative AI tools in certain areas of the recruitment process, such as drafting job postings, and are exploring how it may be applied elsewhere.
In July 2023, OA formalized many of these streamlining efforts into an updated policy and procedures for non-civil service hiring. Key changes included limiting the posting time for most job vacancies to a maximum of five days and making it easier for hiring managers to extend on-the-spot job offers to candidates. Additionally, OA provided guidance to agencies to streamline interviews, which is often the longest step in the hiring process.
The Shapiro Administration supports passage of the proposed Civil Service Modernization Act to streamline the outdated 84-year-old civil service hiring requirements and practices to fill vacancies more quickly. Approximately 70 percent of all Commonwealth jobs are civil service positions.
Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, OA has prioritized efforts to expand opportunities in public service and recruit and retain talented employees to serve Pennsylvanians. On his first full day in office, Governor Shapiro signed an executive order directing OA to implement skills-based hiring to emphasize work experience rather than college degree requirements. OA has also expanded internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs to provide hands-on learning and an introduction to public service.
Last year, the Governor established the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee through Executive Order 2024-01 to expand opportunity for Pennsylvanians seeking careers in public service. This includes recruiting more bilingual workers, expanding Commonwealth employment opportunities for Pennsylvanians, and expanding access to child care. These efforts are making the Commonwealth a more attractive employer that can now fill vacancies faster with highly qualified applicants.
In March, the Governor signed Executive Order 2025-01 to help fill critical vacancies in the Commonwealth workforce with experienced former federal employees who have specialized expertise in important fields like civil engineering, nursing, corrections, accounting, and more. Since March, state agencies have hired over 250 individuals with federal work experience to fill critical, existing vacancies across state agencies.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is always hiring! Job seekers can go to employment.pa.gov and browse hundreds of vacancies, apply for openings, and be notified when new jobs are available. Pennsylvanians can also explore internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships through the Commonwealth at the Launch Your Career page.
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