For the past seven years, local government agencies in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties have participated on a “Two-County Next Generation Committee”. Sponsored by the City/County Managers Associations of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, the Committee is chartered to identify programs to address the “retirement wave” of baby-boomer managers and professionals who are exiting local government in the region.

Visit http://www.nextgensiliconvalley.org/

The Committee is composed of City Managers, Assistant City Managers, Human Resources Directors and staff, emerging leaders, representatives of workforce investment boards, and university career center staff.  Frank Benest, former City Manager of Palo Alto, California, and currently ICMA Senior Advisor, chairs the Committee for Next Generation Initiatives.  Members of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) also serve on the Committee.

Meeting on a quarterly basis, the committee works to identify needs, initiate and implement programs and evaluate the collective effort. Programs include the following efforts to attract, grown and retain talent:

Programs Offered Each Year

  • Regional Internship Program for paid or unpaid internships for university students offered by local government agencies in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
  • Meeting with University Career Centers Education about local government careers & opportunities
  • Job Shadow Day for University Students Matches interested university students with managers in local government
  • Leadership Academies Focused on helping mid-level professionals advance in their organizations
  • Tomorrow’s City/County Executive Forum Prepares future City/County Managers & Department Directors

Programs Offered Once Every Two Years

  • Speed Coaching and Networking Lunch rotates emerging leaders through rounds of 10-minute coaching sessions with different senior managers from local governments
  • Management Talent Exchange Program (MTEP) High-potential employees are placed in another local government agencies for three months.