Donald Gainsborough has spent decades at the intersection of legislative strategy and administrative reform, earning a reputation as a political savant who understands the machinery of government better than almost anyone. As the leader of Government Curated, he has been a vocal advocate for modernizing the public sector’s approach to talent acquisition, particularly as states face unprecedented vacancy rates. His insights are particularly timely as a growing number of governors sign executive orders to eliminate degree requirements, effectively dismantling the “paper ceiling” that has long barred qualified workers from stable, high-impact public service careers.
In this discussion, we explore the tactical shifts required to transition from credential-heavy hiring to a skills-first model. We cover the specific methodologies for identifying core competencies, the tools necessary for objective evaluation, and the collaborative frameworks—often described as a “helping hand”—that allow state agencies to navigate this cultural sea change. Gainsborough also sheds light on the long-term impact these policies have on workplace diversity and shares his outlook on how this movement will redefine the American workforce in the years to come.
Public sector agencies are increasingly dropping degree requirements to combat labor shortages. How do you identify the specific competencies needed for these roles, and what initial steps should a state take to begin this transition? Please provide a step-by-step breakdown of the process.
To move away from the safety of a four-year degree, you have to get very comfortable with the granular details of what a job actually entails. The identification process begins with a “Job Task Analysis,” where we sit down with current high-performers to map out the exact sequence of actions they take to achieve success. Step one for any state is to conduct a comprehensive audit of all entry-level and mid-tier job descriptions to determine which degree requirements are truly essential and which are simply legacy placeholders. Step two involves rewriting these descriptions to focus on “can-do” statements, such as the ability to manage complex databases or navigate regulatory compliance, rather than “attained” credentials. Finally, step three requires building a skill-to-role matrix that allows HR departments to see exactly how a candidate’s past experience—whether in the military, a trade, or self-taught—directly overlaps with the agency’s mission-critical needs.
Moving away from traditional credentials requires new methods for evaluating a candidate’s potential. What specific tools or assessment strategies are most effective for measuring technical proficiency, and how do you ensure hiring managers remain objective throughout the interview process?
We are seeing a major shift toward performance-based assessments that simulate the actual environment of the role, such as work-sample tests or timed technical challenges. For a data analyst role, for instance, we might provide a raw dataset and ask the candidate to identify trends and present a brief summary; this reveals more about their analytical “muscle” than a diploma ever could. To maintain objectivity, it is vital to implement structured interviews where every candidate is asked the exact same set of competency-based questions, scored against a pre-defined rubric. This “blind” approach to early-stage evaluation helps mitigate the unconscious bias that often leads managers to favor candidates who share their own educational pedigree or social background. By focusing on the “evidence of ability,” we move the conversation from who the candidate is to what the candidate can actually do on day one.
Implementation often requires external support and collaborative frameworks to be successful. What does this “helping hand” look like in practice for a state government, and what metrics are used to determine if these new hiring practices are actually closing the workforce gap?
The “helping hand” usually manifests as a multi-state collaborative or a partnership with non-profit policy experts who provide the technical architecture for these new hiring systems. These external partners offer the “playbooks” that prevent each state from having to reinvent the wheel, providing templates for skills-based job postings and training modules for HR staff. When it comes to metrics, we look closely at the “time-to-fill” for vacancies, which often drops significantly when the candidate pool is expanded beyond those with degrees. We also track the “retention rate” of skills-based hires compared to traditional hires, alongside the overall reduction in the state’s total vacancy percentage. Seeing these numbers move—often by several percentage points within the first year—provides the hard evidence that removing barriers is a practical solution to a dire labor shortage.
Transitioning to a skills-first model can significantly impact internal culture and diversity. How does this shift change the long-term career trajectory for employees without degrees, and could you share an anecdote regarding a successful hire who might have been overlooked under old rules?
A skills-first model creates a visible ladder for upward mobility, telling employees that their growth is limited only by their willingness to master new competencies rather than their financial ability to go back to school. It creates a much more vibrant, diverse culture because you are suddenly bringing in perspectives from people who have navigated different life paths and professional hurdles. I recall a specific instance where a state’s IT department hired an individual who had spent a decade in retail management but had taught himself cybersecurity through various boot camps and projects. Under the old rules, his application would have been discarded by an automated system before a human ever saw it, but under the new model, he was identified as a top-tier talent. Today, he is one of their lead security architects, proving that the “paper ceiling” was actually keeping some of the most dedicated and innovative minds out of the room.
What is your forecast for skills-based hiring?
I believe that within the next five to ten years, skills-based hiring will cease to be an “alternative” strategy and will instead become the standard operating procedure for both the public and private sectors. We are already seeing a “domino effect” where one state’s success encourages its neighbors to follow suit, creating a more fluid and resilient national labor market. As the cost of traditional education continues to rise, the pressure on employers to find alternative ways to validate talent will only intensify, making this shift a permanent fixture of our economic landscape. Ultimately, this isn’t just a response to a labor shortage; it is a fundamental reimagining of the American Dream, where the value of a person’s work is measured by their actual contribution and their drive to succeed.
