Phenom Partnered With Opportunity@Work on AI Hiring

The collaboration integrates AI systems to help government agencies identify job candidates without traditional degrees.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Job Search

Phenom Partnered With Opportunity@Work on AI Hiring

Live Poll

Should government agencies prioritize skills-based hiring over traditional college degree requirements for applicants?

Human resources technology company Phenom has partnered with workforce nonprofit Opportunity@Work to embed AI into state government hiring processes. This initiative aims to assist public agencies in identifying skilled candidates who lack traditional college degrees.

Why it matters

The partnership is designed to help public agencies fill critical vacancies in sectors like public safety, health care, and trades. It shifts hiring focus toward skills and certifications rather than formal academic credentials.

Opportunity@Work identified 246,129 public-sector openings accessible to STARs in 2025. In Louisiana, skills-based hiring led to a 14% increase in STAR hires and a 4% reduction in attrition.

The players

Phenom

Phenom is a human resources technology company headquartered in Philadelphia that develops AI-powered recruitment systems.

Opportunity@Work

Opportunity@Work is a workforce nonprofit organization focused on expanding career pathways for individuals Skilled Through Alternative Routes.

The details

The collaboration utilizes the WorkOps platform to coordinate AI agents, recruiters, and hiring managers through data-driven evaluation. This system assesses candidates based on specific skills and certifications to match them with public-sector opportunities.

Workers began moving into higher-paying positions in 2022.
Opportunity@Work identified 246,129 public-sector openings in 2025.
A survey regarding government hiring was conducted in 2026.
The partnership news was published on October 12, 2026.

Market Landscape

This integration signals a broader industry move to automate the identification of non-traditional talent within the public sector. It positions the companies to capture market share by addressing the persistent labor gaps that traditional credentialing systems have failed to fill.

Job seekers who have relevant skills but lack traditional college degrees may find it easier to qualify for public-sector roles. Applicants should be aware that their skill certifications will now play a more central role in automated hiring workflows.

The takeaway

Skills-based hiring removes barriers for qualified candidates and helps public agencies manage recruitment more efficiently. Job seekers should prioritize documenting specific skills and certifications when applying for government positions.