STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Labor Department Business Services Specialist

Hybrid

Recruitment #240426-5244SH-001

Introduction



Are you an agency employee with experience performing the most complex tasks in providing consultative services to Connecticut employers?
If so, keep on reading!

The State of Connecticut, the Department of  Labor (DOL), invites agency employees to apply for the position of Labor Department Business Services Specialist in the Apprenticeship unit. 

Comprehensive Benefit Offerings: 
  • The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
  • State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.  Click here for more information.
  • A Platinum Healthcare Plan, the nation’s best for state employees and dependents, according to a report by Georgetown's Center on Health Insurance Reform and article by Ellen Andrews, Ph.D., along with comprehensive benefit offerings.
  • Comprehensive Benefits which include industry leading health benefits, including medical and dental coverage.
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings.
  • Generous paid time off, including 13 paid holidays per calendar year.
  • Professional growth and development opportunities.
  • A healthy work/life balance to all employees. 
    The Role:
    • Serve as an account representative or single point-of-contact to employers for the purpose of providing employment and training information and services, labor recruitment assistance, job order fulfillment, awareness of workforce development programs, and labor exchange activities. 
    • Day to day unit operational activities necessary to provide optimal service delivery, achieve positive objective goal outcomes, and assist in lean exercises for continuous improvement . 
    • Collaborate with CTDOL, and USDOL staff, for implementing unit and employer policy and procedure reform to current required standards of compliance with CFR 29.29 and 30, program review,   affirmative action, and EEO/DEI compliance. 
    • Assist the unit director, PS&C, and Operations Coordinator with planning, coordination and administration of multiple Federal and State apprenticeship grant program activity duties including, but not limited to, innovative program development, implementation, reporting, monitoring, compliance of existing and correlated registered apprenticeship programs and initiatives.
    • Assist with apprenticeship database enhancement and maintenance ability, unit system automation development, administrative oversight of data collection, participant tracking, data reporting and distribution/generation of reports as directed.
    •  Assist with unit processing tasks and support activities and procedures for unit staff as directed. 
    • Other related duties.
    Position Highlights: 
    • Hybrid, 40 hours, 1st shift, full time, M-F, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM.
    • This position, though located at the Central Office in Wethersfield, CT also requires considerable travel throughout the State of CT as well as an assigned region of CT.
    About Us:
    • We are committed to protecting and promoting the interests of Connecticut workers. In order to accomplish this in an ever-changing environment, we assist workers and employers to become competitive in the global economy.  We take a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of workers and employers, and the other agencies that serve them.  We ensure the supply of high-quality integrated services that serve the needs of our customers.

    Selection Plan

    These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Applications to this recruitment will be used to meet collective bargaining requirements. Once any collective bargaining requirements have been met, all other applicants may be considered.

    For Assistance in Applying:

    To Apply:
    • In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application. 

    • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

    • At any point later in the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: performance reviews, attendance, supervisor references, college transcripts, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

    • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meets the preferred qualifications, so please ensure that your application is complete and details your experience as outlined in this job posting. Please note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.
    • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
    • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
    • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
    Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
    • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
    • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
    • At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.
    • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
    • Due to the large volume of applications received, the Department of Administrative Services is unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.
    Connect With Us:
    • If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Anamaria Giangarra at Anamaria.giangarra@ct.gov and reference the recruitment number. 
    • Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.

    PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

    In the Department of Labor this class is accountable for performing the most complex tasks in providing consultative services to Connecticut employers on the development, implementation and monitoring of apprenticeship and job training programs as well as on other services available to employers and/or businesses through the Department of Labor and its partner agencies.

    EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

    • Confers with and provides consultative services to employers, unions, veterans organizations, educational institutions, governmental agencies and public and private groups in promotion and development of training programs in apprenticeship, on-the-job training, skill improvement, technical and other types of specialized training programs;
    • Provides such groups with assistance in developing standards for training programs, evaluating training requirements in labor market area and identifying and addressing training needs through currently available resources or development of innovative training methods;
    • Negotiates formal contracts for workplace based and other training programs following detailed analysis of complex data and factors involved;
    • Provides advice, direction and assistance to apprenticeship and training sponsors and participants with regard to program needs and operational problems;
    • Monitors ongoing apprenticeship and other training programs ensuring proper contractual budgeting and invoicing, enforcing applicable labor laws and regulations and imposing contractual modifications where warranted;
    • Meets with employers to market agency services and programs and provides information in such areas as labor market information, special placement programs, unemployment insurance claims and taxes, workforce reduction and labor laws;
    • Coordinates labor exchange function, helping employers with recruitment by assisting with job orders, arranging special recruitments, promoting and educating them in use of the talent bank and internet;
    • Acts as a neutral broker, referring employers to other educational institutions, agencies or organizations that can assist with specific concerns;
    • Designs, develops and conducts presentations for employers, community-based organizations, educational institutions, governmental agencies and private groups;
    • Participates in seminars, fairs and meetings as a presenter or agency liaison;
    • May write and disseminate newsletters to employers;
    • Performs related duties as required.

    KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

    • Considerable knowledge of
      • methods, procedures, current trends and practices used in skill improvement, on-the-job training and apprenticeship training programs;
      • labor market conditions;
      • labor practices and labor relations;
      • relevant state and federal statutes;
    • Knowledge of
      • job service, unemployment insurance and employment and training programs, policies and procedures;
      • employer related programs and services provided by other agencies and organizations;
    • Considerable
      • presentational and negotiation skills;
      • interpersonal skills;
      • oral and written communication skills;
    • Analytical ability.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

    Seven (7) years of technical level experience in counseling, employment placement, veterans employment and training support services, public contact work, human service programs, community action programs, job service, unemployment insurance or employment and training functions.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

    One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in providing consultative services in the development, implementation and monitoring of apprenticeship and job training programs.

    NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Labor Department Associate Community Services Representative performing basic employer services.

    MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

    College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor’s degree.

    PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

    • Experience working in one or more of the following areas: human resources, recruitment (basic screening and placement of qualified job candidates), economic development, small business operations, business management, marketing, and registered apprenticeships.
    • Experience working in one of the following industry sectors such as IT, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Finance & Insurance.
    • Experience speaking in public, in person, and virtually in front of small and large audiences.
    • Experience in media communication principles to prepare flyers, newsletters, brochures, etc.
    • Experience using MS Office software (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) to create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets.
    • Experience using virtual platforms (such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.) to participate in meetings and provide training and virtual services.
    • Experience utilizing social media platforms such as LinkedIn to promote employer recruitments.

    SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

    Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

    Conclusion

    AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

    The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.