Harrisburg, PA – Under Governor Josh Shapiro’s leadership, efforts to bolster recruitment and hiring are paying off, as new data shows a growing share of Millennial and Gen Z employees working for the Commonwealth and fewer vacancies overall across state government.
Since Governor Shapiro took office, there has been a 17.5 percent increase in the number of Millennial employees and a 180 percent increase in the number of Gen Z employees working in state agencies. Together, they now account for nearly half of the Commonwealth workforce. The overall vacancy rate is down by 3 percent from its peak during the pandemic, with new hires outpacing retirements in 2024.
“A large portion of our workforce will have the option to retire in the next few years, and that is why we are taking action now to ensure that state government can continue to deliver critical benefits and services to a changing population,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “By opening the doors of opportunity for more Pennsylvanians to pursue careers in public service and making the hiring process more efficient, the Shapiro Administration is meeting the moment and positioning the Commonwealth’s workforce for future success.”
By the year 2030, all members of the Baby Boomer generation born from 1946 to 1964 will be at least 65 years old, the minimum age to qualify for Medicare, a demographic trend often referred to as the “silver tsunami”. Approximately 29 percent of state employees under the Governor’s jurisdiction will reach at least 25 years of service over the next four years, making them eligible for health benefits in retirement.
The Shapiro Administration is working to boldly address the potential impending large-scale reductions in the Commonwealth’s workforce as more state employees become eligible to retire. The current vacancy rate of just 7 percent indicates that the Commonwealth is finding success in filling positions and bringing in new talent to replace the outgoing retirees.
In June 2025, the Commonwealth employed approximately 28,000 Millennials, an increase of 4,000 since the start of the Shapiro Administration. Millennials now make up 38 percent of the total workforce.
The number of Gen Z employees has nearly tripled from 2,000 before Governor Shapiro took office to 5,600 in June 2025. Gen Z now makes up nearly 8 percent of the total Commonwealth workforce.
The work to attract talent and expand career opportunities with the Commonwealth began on Governor Shapiro’s first day with an executive order to allow qualified applicants without college degrees to compete for state jobs.
Since then, he directed the Office of Administration to prioritize reducing the amount of time it takes to hire a new employee. This initiative saw the overall hiring time cut by 40 percent, from 90 days to 54 days, allowing the Commonwealth to be more competitive in the job market and quickly fill critical vacancies.
The Office of Administration has also updated Commonwealth employee benefits to keep pace with the private sector and meet the evolving needs of employees and their families. They include eliminating waiting periods for new hires and dependents to enroll in benefits without additional out-of-pocket costs, increasing paid parental leave from six weeks to eight weeks, increasing the number of no cost counseling sessions under the State Employee Assistance Program, and adding new resources to support caregivers. Over the summer, OA launched a new commuter benefit that allows employees to save money on transit and parking expenses by using funds deducted from their pay before taxes are calculated.
The Shapiro Administration has prioritized supporting employees who want to advance their skills through further education and making higher education more affordable for employees and their families. Benefits include tuition discounts and scholarships available from a growing list of institutions, interest rate discounts on student loans through PHEAA, and loan forgiveness through the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, or PSLF.
The Administration has also expanded internship, apprenticeship, and fellowship programs to offer work-based learning opportunities and experience in public service, and enhanced benefits to support employees and their families. These strategic efforts have expanded and continued under the Governor’s Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee led by OA. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was recently named one of the Greatest Places to Intern in PA by the PA Chamber Foundation.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is always hiring! Job seekers can go to employment.pa.gov to 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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