PA federal workforce declines as Philly assists former government employees

PHILADELPHIA (WPHL) — As the federal workforce in Pennsylvania declines, the Commonwealth and the City of Philadelphia are scrambling to assist and recruit former government employees.

The Library of Philadelphia system is hosting a series of workshops for displaced federal employees seeking assistance. Federal Employee Transition Workshops aim to assist former federal workers in navigating through a possible career change. They’ll provide networking opportunities along with guidance from human resources professionals in resume writing, interview practices and tips, and utilizing LinkedIn.

According to the state, there are 104,000 government employees in Pennsylvania, with reports stating that 16,000 have recently lost their jobs since President Donald Trump began making cuts to federal employment.

At the beginning of March, Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order to help fill vacancies in the Pennsylvania workforce with experienced former federal employees who have specialized expertise in fields like civil engineering, nursing, corrections, accounting, and more. The Commonwealth launched a new website with information about state government opportunities that align with an applicant’s experience, along with postings of virtual and in-person job fairs for federal employees. More than 600 jobs are open on the site.

In Philadelphia, the informational workshops hosted by the Library of Philadelphia are led by volunteers and take place during the first two weeks of April, spreading across four locations of the Free Library System. The dates, times, and locations of the workshops are

Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. at the Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. at the Business Resource and Innovation Center at Parkway Central Library

Monday, April 7, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. at the South Philadelphia Library

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. at the Northeast Regional Library

More resources from the Free Library of Philadelphia for displaced federal workers and job seekers, including free online workshops, can be found on our website at freelibrary.org.