Southold Anti-Bias Task Force is hoping to help make the town’s public sector better represent the diversity of the community by teaming up with the town to host a free civil service training seminar this week.
“A lot of people think that getting a civil service job is all about who you know, but that’s just not true,” said Loretta Hatzel-Geraci, a member of the task force. “We want people to understand that if you go through the process, you’ll be a candidate and could get hired.”
Civil service is a phrase used to describe jobs within state or local governments. These jobs are unique in that part of the application process involves an open, competitive exam to determine the applicant’s merit.
New York State’s Civil Service Department has a schedule of upcoming exams available on its website, including some tests that will begin accepting applicants later this week. Suffolk County’s Civil Service Department is currently accepting exam applications for a range of positions, from secretaries to park rangers.
Though Thursday’s seminar is open to anyone, it will be targeted towards young people, Hatzel-Geraci said, with a focus on high school juniors and seniors who will be entering the workforce and facing major career decisions in the near future.
“We want kids to know that this is an option, even though it might not be one they would usually choose because it’s daunting,” Hatzel-Geraci said. “It can be intimidating, but we want to take the mystery out of it and show them what kinds of jobs they can get and how simple the process is to apply.”
Hatzel-Geraci said attendees will be given a tour of the civil service website and learning about testing and placement.
The seminar is free, and will be held on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Peconic Community Center. Those interested in attending are asked to register by phone (631) 765-5806 or by email denisn@southoldtownny.gov.
