Expanding Opportunities Beyond College Degrees
North Carolina lawmakers are advancing legislation that could open thousands of state government jobs to individuals without traditional four-year college degrees. Senate Bill 124, which recently passed unanimously in the state Senate, directs human resources officials to reevaluate job descriptions and ease educational and experience requirements where possible. The aim is to make government positions more accessible to people with relevant experience gained through community colleges, trade schools, the military, or other training.
With more than 14,300 vacancies in state government, lawmakers say the need for staffing has reached a critical level. These unfilled roles have slowed public services, including DMV appointments, safety inspections, and mental health care availability. Senator Kevin Corbin (R-Macon), a key backer of the bill, emphasized the practicality of the move, saying, “We have literally hundreds of jobs that are open, that could be filled by experienced people.”
The bipartisan push reflects growing awareness that requiring four-year degrees may exclude many qualified candidates, particularly at a time when recruitment and retention are top concerns for state agencies.
North Carolina Lawmakers Past Efforts Show Signs of Progress
This new bill builds on existing initiatives to address the workforce crisis. In 2023, former Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order urging state agencies to prioritize relevant work experience over formal education. Agencies were also given flexibility to offer bonuses and improve hiring processes. As a result, the number of vacancies has slightly decreased. From a peak of 15,300 vacant roles in July 2023, the vacancy rate dropped from 23.5% to 20% by February 2025.
Governor Josh Stein is also actively working to lower the vacancy rate. Last month, he launched a program to encourage federal workers, particularly those facing layoffs due to budget cuts or natural disasters like Hurricane Helene, to apply for state positions. His office reported nearly 700 inquiries through this effort alone, highlighting a strong interest in state employment — if made more accessible.
Despite some positive momentum, officials agree that more needs to be done to retain employees once they are hired. Lawmakers continue to weigh options to improve benefits and pay scales.
Pay and Benefits Remain Major Hurdles
While efforts to broaden job eligibility have received praise, employee advocacy groups argue that the core issue is compensation. Many state jobs offer lower pay than their private-sector counterparts — roughly $2,000 less on average, according to state data. Benefits have also been trimmed, with retirees seeing pension increases lag behind inflation, and active workers facing rising health insurance premiums.
North Carolina Lawmakers Governor Stein has proposed halting planned tax cuts and reducing private school voucher spending to fund raises across state employment. His budget suggests a 2% raise plus a $1,000 bonus for most state workers, larger raises for prison workers and youth counselors, and a phased 10.6% average raise for teachers. However, Republican leaders in the legislature have shown little support for these recommendations.
As lawmakers work on the new state budget, decisions made in the coming weeks could shape the future of North Carolina’s public workforce — not only who gets hired, but also whether they’ll stay.
