Herkimer College Partners to Host Workshop on Civil Service Strategies

Herkimer College joins Herkimer Working Solutions Career Center and the Herkimer and Oneida County Civil Services offices to host a Civil Service Strategies workshop at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, March 6 at the College’s Robert McLaughlin College Center.  The event will be moderated in a Q&A format, free and open to the public.

Panelists include Steve Billings from Herkimer County Civil Service, Brian Jweid from Oneida County Civil Service, and Karin Piseck of Working Solutions. Herkimer College Director of Career Services Suzanne Paddock will serve as the moderator. The workshop will take a closer look at civil service career opportunities, including all education levels and fields, as well as inform participants on how to prepare and succeed in the civil service process.

“A primary goal of this program is to demystify the process of obtaining a civil service position all while highlighting the many opportunities that exist here in central New York,” Paddock explains.

According to Billings, currently, Herkimer County has openings in many departments. “Caseworkers, 911 Operators, and Correction Officers are particularly in high demand at this time,” he says.  These positions come with excellent benefits, which include NYS Retirement, paid time off, and health and dental benefits.”

“The Civil Service process can be overwhelming, but part of our job is to educate the public to trust that process while being there to answer any questions along the way,” Jweid adds. “There are a lot of benefits to becoming a public sector employee that we hope we can illustrate during this workshop. Most don’t realize that there are so many fields within Civil Service that could tailor to a job seeker’s interests. In Oneida County alone, we have positions in human services, law enforcement, public health, information technology, maintenance, law, clerical, and so much more. I look forward to partnering with Suzanne, Steve, Karin, and Herkimer County on this event and hope we can provide some clarity to all who attend.”

“I think that many times, people don’t look far enough into the benefits of a job in civil service,” Piseck shares. “Stability, ample leave time, and retirement are valuable pieces to consider.  I know that as I get older, I am more and more grateful for the career I chose.”

The workshop will run approximately one hour. For more information, contact Suzanne Paddock at paddocksm@herkimer.edu, or visit Herkimer.edu/career-services-workshop.