NASCA Press Release: State of Illinois Announced as 2025 Innovation in State Government: Transformation Award Recipient
For Immediate Release
October 27, 2025
Contact: Elizabeth Whitehouse, Executive Director, executivedirector@nasca.org
NASCA Press Release: State of Illinois Announced as 2025 Innovation in State Government: Transformation Award Recipient
Springfield, IL — The National Association of State Chief Administrators is proud to announce the State of Illinois as a recipient of the NASCA 2025 Innovation in State Government Award in the Transformation category for its Hiring Process Reform initiative.
The Innovation in State Government Awards recognize state administration department programs, projects, and initiatives that exemplify leading practices in the industry. The Transformation category honors initiatives that fundamentally reshape state government operations.
The State of Illinois’ Hiring Process Reform initiative took a comprehensive approach to modernizing the state’s hiring process, shifting from a traditional, paper-based hiring system into a streamlined, electronic process. The project aimed to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in state government employment practices.
By introducing an Electronic Applicant Tracking System (ATS), standardizing and simplifying job postings, and utilizing digital workflows to dramatically reduce processing times, Illinois successfully transformed its hiring process into a more transparent and accessible system. Since implementing this initiative, Illinois has achieved measurable success – including a 58% reduction in hiring timelines, a nearly 50% decrease in job vacancies, and a 110% increase in job applications.
Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) spoke to the success of the State’s reform efforts.
“Here’s the payoff already happening from making this leap forward: CMS has reduced the hiring timeline nearly 60 percent, cut the job vacancy rate nearly in half…, and tripled the number of job applications received through the new electronic system. The candidate pool grew, and job offers increased. This is a win for both the State and its workers.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker echoed Senator Holmes’ remarks, stating, "By modernizing our hiring practices and investing in technology, we're not just improving efficiency, we're building a government that is more inclusive, responsive, and equipped to serve the people of Illinois for generations to come. As we look ahead, CMS will build upon this progress as it continues to improve and streamline hiring for key roles that support Illinoisans every day.”
Illinois’ Hiring Process Reform initiative represents the type of innovation honored by the NASCA Innovation in State Government: Transformation Award. The initiative fundamentally restructured Illinois’ approach to hiring, creating lasting improvements that will benefit applicants, agencies, and the people of Illinois for years to come.
Founded in 1976, NASCA is the nation’s only nonpartisan, nonprofit organization serving chief administrative officers or CAOs. NASCA provides a forum for state chief administrative officers to exchange information and learn new ideas from each other and private sector partners. NASCA engages states in transforming government operations through shared knowledge, operational excellence, and thought leadership.
For more information on NASCA, please visit NASCA.org.
