Trump Administration Launches Gen Z Early Career Federal Hiring Network

The Trump administration and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management are rolling out an "Early Career Talent Network" at Earlycareers.gov to recruit more Gen Z workers into full‑time federal jobs after a year of massive DOGE‑driven workforce cuts. OPM says only about 7% of federal employees are under 30, compared with roughly 22% in the rest of the labor force, a gap officials warn poses long‑term risks to government readiness and institutional strength. The new cross‑agency hiring push initially targets five in‑demand fields—finance, human resources, engineering, project management and procurement—and will rely on "demonstrated talent" rather than formal college credentials or years of experience. OPM Director Scott Kupor says the goal is to "make government cool again" by offering early‑career professionals the chance to work on "critically important, unique projects" while rebuilding a talent pipeline thinned by more than 75,000 deferred resignations and some 280,000 layoffs of federal workers and contractors last year. The move spotlights an abrupt pivot from Trump’s high‑profile DOGE downsizing campaign toward selective rebuilding and raises questions, already surfacing online, about whether new hiring can realistically repair the damage to institutional capacity and morale from such rapid cuts.