Are you a Connecticut resident looking to start or switch careers? Then there is a golden opportunity awaiting you, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is on a major hiring drive.

Connecticut's DOT is currently hiring for 700 positions. These include jobs for engineers, truck drivers, plow drivers, traffic signal planners, designers, bridge maintenance, etc. 

If you are looking to apply, you can visit Connecticut’s Job Openings Database or the Connecticut DOT official page on LinkedIn. The DOT has partnered with the state’s Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to conduct the hiring process.

Since the beginning of the year, there has been a huge onslaught of job postings by DOTs across the country. 

A variety of factors have spurred this, such as growing vacancies with 20 to 25 percent of current DOT workers retiring by July 1st. 

Injecting further urgency into the hiring process is the funding that Congress has put into the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Of the federal infrastructure funds, $5.38 billion was provided to Connecticut to repair roads and bridges and provide better facilities for public transportation over the next five years. 

To date the state's DOT has posted 164 jobs and received responses from over 5,000 applicants. The most recent posting was made on April 1st, and another is scheduled for June 30th. Many more jobs will soon be posted.

Apart from the allotted funds, the state can get an additional amount if it can submit viable proposals through the funds allotted for the Northeast corridor, which amounts to $30 billion. There is also an additional $100 billion in nationwide grants up for grabs under the postulates mentioned in the bill.

Governor Ned Lamont, who recently visited the DOT headquarters in Newington, said, “This infrastructure money is going to be transformative for the state where transportation and our location are our most important strategic advantages going forward.” He further added, “We value you; we need you here. If you have any friends who are into design, engineering, construction, transportation, whatever it may be, tell them we want to hire them right here.”

DOT Deputy Commissioner Mark D. Rolfe added, “So recruiting is important, retention is important, building our staff is key to our success.” 

Further, Senate Bill 215 would open opportunities for establishing an engineering recruitment program for the Connecticut DOT, with various provisions that provide a competitive edge over private-sector jobs. 

Applicants will hear back within 120 days. If you haven’t applied yet, this might be your chance to land a good-paying government job.