Governments around the world are looking to use technology to become more efficient. This article explores how AI-driven transformations in public employment services can help future-proof workforce planning across public services.
Across the world, government agencies at central, state, and local levels do remarkable work to support people in need through a broad spectrum of public assistance programmes and essential employment services.
However, many governments struggle to balance the process of distributing qualified benefits while also managing limited resources, alongside shifts in national priorities, and increased expectations from citizens for improved outcomes. As a result, government agencies, and the vendors they partner with, must continually evolve to meet these changing demands.
Technology organisations such as Geographic Solutions, a leading provider of integrated employment software for public workforce agencies, consistently explores new technological innovations to improve user experiences and ensure they are getting value for their money. One such innovation includes adding AI-assisted features across its flagship software, VOS Sapphire®, to simplify tasks for agency staff, job seekers, and employers.
Geographic Solutions collaborated with Microsoft to integrate its Azure OpenAI Service across the VOS Sapphire software suite. This integration introduces a variety of innovative AI-powered features – including résumé building and job search for job seekers, and job post creation and interview preparation for employers.
The goal is to streamline the labour exchange process – assisting employers with recruitment and helping job seekers find quality jobs, while also enabling government agencies to focus on other priority tasks. “We wanted to use AI to help with the areas that we know job seekers, employers, and government staff struggle with the most,” said Geographic Solutions’ U.K.-born president and founder, Paul Toomey. Over the past nine months, several U.S. states, including Georgia and Texas, have rapidly adopted VOS Sapphire AI®. According to project architect Melina Tabares, Geographic Solutions “built the system to be flexible and easy to customise. It takes two weeks or less for us to configure VOS Sapphire AI, create the endpoints, and connect to Azure OpenAI Service.”
This has led to an increase in AI usage among job seekers, employers, and agency staff. The data shows a rise in the use of AI for résumé creation, with AI-generated résumés receiving higher quality scores than manually created ones. In Georgia, AI-generated résumés increased by 70%, while Texas saw over 2,300 new résumés and 3,100 enhancements within a month.
Damon Weller, assistant commissioner at WorkSource Georgia, stated: “AI integration has delivered a measurable impact across our workforce programs. Since implementation in early December 2024, over 11,000 résumés have been generated utilizing AI Assist, with nearly 2,000 customised to job postings – enhancing job seeker competitiveness.”
VOS Sapphire AI has also enhanced productivity for staff at these agencies. The number of records created with generative AI has increased by 65%, and state agency staff members are excited about the impact on their jobs. Weller added: “These advancements will drive stronger outcomes and elevate service delivery by refining results and enhancing user experiences.”
How innovative solutions are creating second chance opportunities
In addition to transforming its software through the power of AI, Geographic Solutions has expanded its next-generation software suite to serve an even broader spectrum of job seekers, including those who face barriers to employment. Geographic Solutions is seeing significant potential with its Virtual OneStop REO® (VOS REO®) system, which aims to lower recidivism by equipping justice-impacted individuals with the tools and resources needed to aid them in finding employment as they approach parole.
In a recent opinion piece from the Financial Times, Jeffrey Korzenik, chief economist at Fifth Third Commercial Bank, wrote, “We have a problem: structural labour shortages across the world’s largest economies threaten our mutual [U.S and U.K.] prosperity. In both countries, a largely untapped talent pool is those with a criminal record.”
Korzenik continues: “In both nations, the unemployment rate of those exiting prison is shockingly high. Studies in the U.S. suggest an unemployment rate of more than 60% during the first year, and a long-term unemployment rate of 27%. In the U.K., government figures show that just 26.5% of those exiting prison gain immediate employment.”
Fortunately, governments worldwide are recognising the need for reform and are beginning to implement smarter technology to support their evolving mission. In the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Justice created an AI Action Plan for Justice and probation pilot programs, which have reduced note-taking time by 50%. Meanwhile, the Western Plains Correctional Facility in New South Wales employs AI for various monitoring tasks.
The State of California is experiencing similar shifts aimed at improving outcomes for those with a criminal record. To assist the state in reducing its 40% recidivism rate, Geographic Solutions partnered with the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) and the California Employment Development Department to launch the first-of-its-kind Entry to Employment (E2E) Network at California State Prison, Solano.
Powered by Geographic Solutions’ VOS REO solution, the E2E Network is a game-changer for building pathways from prison back into society, and ultimately, into the workplace. By leveraging the state’s labour exchange system, CalJOBS, participants using the E2E Network have access to career tools and the state’s list of ‘second chance’ employers who are willing to hire. This integration also provides ongoing assistance in tracking and reporting for individuals post-release. With this partnership, both Geographic Solutions and CALPIA aim to increase positive employment outcomes, reduce instances of recidivism, and save taxpayers tremendously.
To date, the CALPIA E2E Network has been fully implemented in all 35 state correctional facilities across California, enabling nearly 400 registered inmates to search for quality employment prior to their release.
Innovating to help governments
New demands from citizens and elected officials drive government institutions around the world to develop new policies and processes for better and smarter services. For public employment agencies, that means working closer with innovative and trend-setting vendors that will meet their mission of strengthening local communities as well as improving public safety – all while delivering cost savings with better outcomes for job seekers, employers, and government departments.
Learn More
To find out more about VOS Sapphire AI, VOS REO, or any of our international employment solutions, please visit geographicsolutions.com.
About the Author
Deane Toler has over 25 years of experience promoting, developing, and delivering new technologies within service industries. In his current role as Director of Sales and Marketing, Deane is responsible for business development, strategic partnerships, and leading the Marketing, Sales, and Client Services Teams. He also serves as the development and implementation liaison of workforce development systems in the western region of the United States.