State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Igniting the flame

American City and County: 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.

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