‘Join Albany’ seeks to fill job vacancies
ALBANY — A new campaign has officially launched in Albany to attract and retain employees from diverse backgrounds to fill the city’s more than 200 vacancies, Mayor Kathy Sheehan announced Tuesday.
Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Join Albany program was created to highlight open roles across the city’s nearly 20 offices and departments and create a more streamlined application process.
“We felt like we were missing something ... somehow the opportunities that were here were being communicated in a way that wasn’t as effective as we wanted them to be,” Sheehan said regarding what prompted the launch of the program. “Our innovative campaign will leverage digital social media, radio, billboards and more to ensure that we’re getting the story out and that we are rebranding our city as a place to work and as a workplace of choice.”
Sheehan said the city’s workforce is about 15 percent vacant and emphasized that they are hiring for a variety of open roles from planning and telecommunication specialists to assessment aids and accountants. The federally funded program seeks to encourage non-local job seekers to apply for open positions, as well as individuals of all ages from high school students to senior citizens.
An additional goal of the initiative is improving retention for existing employees. In creating the campaign, the city commissioned an employee compensation study that found city worker salaries were belowmarket rates. Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Rachel Mceneny said since conducting the study, the city has provided better pay equity to its workers, extended flexibility with work schedules and doubled opportunities for continuing education.
The Albany Police Department is one of many agencies looking to fill its vacancies by boosting recruitment efforts. Police Chief Eric Hawkins said the department is not only looking for men and women who are ready to serve the community as police officers, but also as the
“unsung heroes” in non-sworn roles including communications, dispatching and administrative services.
The department is also looking for animal control officers and those “who wish to advocate on behalf of those who are victimized by crime and domestic violence,” as well as auxiliary personnel who will support the department during parades,
festivals and other events to free up other officers and improve response times.
As part of the campaign, the department will also continue its adult cadet program, which offers city residents between the ages of 18 and 32 the opportunity to work part-time in policing and learn about local law enforcement.
The Join Albany campaign was selected by Albany’s ARPA Leadership Team as one of the recipients of the city’s $25 million Albany for All program.