KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Many former federal workers locally are still looking for new jobs.
Municipal leaders in Kansas City are part of a new collaboration meant to put displaced workers back on the job, after thousands were fired earlier this year.
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A large percentage of them lost their jobs as part of mass workforce reductions orchestrated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE. Around 30,000 workers call Kansas City Missouri their home, including many who previously worked for the Internal Revenue Service, which is based on Pershing Way near Union Station.
On Wednesday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and other civic leaders celebrate a new partnership with Work for America. Kansas City is said to be the first major U.S. city to collaborate with this new effort to shift former federal workers into similar roles at the city level.
“People are our best asset and our best recruiters,” Lucas said on Wednesday.
This new national platform marks Kansas City as a Spotlight City, posting 17 roles available locally. Lucas said he believes our metro has a deep pool of talent, and putting them to work at the local level is a win for all.
“No longer are we expecting City Hall to say – we’ve got to get staffed up and solve this issue. We hope we’re able to use the talent that’s out there now to fill and plug a lot of gaps that are out there now in existing Kansas City,” Lucas said.
Lucas attended a Wednesday morning workshop with 16 existing city workers on Wednesday morning, gauging their thoughts on adding former federal workers to the city staff.
“I encouraged them to keep going and make a positive impact. It starts with ourselves and make a brighter future for city of Kansas City employees,” Destiny Garcia, an administrative officer with Kansas City Water, said.
Caitlyn Lewis, Work for America’s executive director, said her group wanted to help workers in Kansas City due to the large number of federal workers based here, and because city leaders shared their vision with her.
“We’re helping 11,000 workers at this point across America. Many of them are interested in relocating to places like Kansas City,” Lewis said.
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Lucas also hopes this will add to an effort to demystify city hall, and that there could be good jobs to fit the needs of many here.
You can learn more about this program and the potential jobs it hopes to create here.
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