Author: George McCue
As the largest employer among all state departments and with positions spanning from sworn law enforcement to emergency management, the Department of Public Safety is always recruiting top talent to answer the call of keeping our state safe. Potential applicants can learn about it all in one place this Wednesday as DPS holds its biggest job fair of the year, the Second Annual Public Safety Career Expo at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.
From 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., representatives from all major divisions of DPS will be on hand to discuss “Careers That Matter” at the Kerr Scott Building located on the State Fairgrounds at 1025 Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh.
What makes these positions special — and why they’re “Careers That Matter” as opposed to just “regular jobs" — is the fact that they fulfill a mission to keep our state safe. Whether ensuring order in correctional facilities, keeping our state’s roadways safe, emergency response and homeland security preparedness, or supporting the criminal justice system, positions within DPS serve a higher duty of public safety. Applicants can learn about rewarding career paths, each playing a part to carry out actions inscribed in the DPS emblem: “Prevent. Protect. Prepare.” 
“There are a number of opportunities within the department,” said DPS Chief Deputy Secretary of Administration Casandra Hoekstra. “Namely: Adult Correction, Juvenile Justice, State Highway Patrol, State Bureau of Investigation, State Capitol Police, Emergency Management, the North Carolina National Guard, and Central Engineering. So, a number of professions All of these divisions offer rewarding opportunities to serve.”
Recruitment efforts focus on the job classifications with the greatest need, such as correctional officer. That being said, opportunities cover the entire extensive range of DPS. Statewide, hundreds of openings are posted each month. “We have all kinds of positions, both in the geographic sense but also in the categories of positions available,” said Recruitment Staffing Manager Dan Hill.
Another major area where many DPS employees serve an important purpose, also in corrections, is healthcare. Health professionals such as nurses, doctors and psychologists perform vital work at prisons and juvenile facilities.
This year’s implementation of law changes to “Raise the Age” of juvenile offender jurisdiction has created many new opportunities to make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth.
DPS representatives can help guide job-seekers with the job application process. “We want to make sure that if the person has the qualifications for the job, they’re able to effectively communicate their experience” in their application to advance in the selection process, Hill said.
At Wednesday’s event, job seekers can learn about exciting ways to serve the people of North Carolina and ensure this state is a safe place to live, work and visit. For more information, visit https://www.ncdps.gov/careers.
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