Alabama Public Television presents in partnership with the State Personnel Department, Alabama Career Connection a unique look at jobs available in Alabama state government.

All coming up right now on Alabama Career Connection.

Hey, y'all.

It's Governor Kay Ivey.

Welcome to Alabama Career Connection.

This program shines a light on the many departments within our state government and the diverse careers available right here in Alabama.

Serving the people of our state is a rewarding experience, offering the chance to make a real difference in our communities.

Whether you're interested in education, public safety, health care, or technology, there's a place for you in state government.

So if you're looking for a career that makes an impact, I invite you join us in building a brand of future for a home in Alabama.

As I always say, let's get to work.

No question that I have the best job in the state of Alabama because I get to go to schools and see the really good things that are happening in communities, whether they're urban or rural, large schools, small schools, high schools, elementary schools.

We have all these people out there each and every day, whether they're working in the classroom, whether they're coaching a teacher, or they're pulling students out for special intervention who care deeply about the lives of children.

And that's why I do what I do, because I have this great team of 100,000 educators who really do believe in investing themselves in the lives of children.

The reason I come to work every day is because I know that we're giving children opportunities that they would not have if we weren't here.

I began teaching several years ago, and I loved being with students.

I loved affecting students.

After I left the classroom, I ended up going into administration, and loved being able to serve the teachers who were serving our students.

And from there, I felt like coming to the department was a wonderful opportunity to extend my reach and to really be able to serve our leaders.

The Alabama Reading Initiative is in charge of K3 Literacy and the implementation of the Literacy Act, which the goal of that is to have readers in kindergarten through third grade be able to read by the end of third grade.

I work with some very knowledgeable people, very caring people who have a passion for doing what's right for Alabama's children.

I work with people who were well-versed in the different alternative approaches that the department has so that you can become a teacher if you are a career changer.

Let's say we have military that are recently retired that want to transition into teaching.

We have alternative approaches for them.

In the department that I serve, we get to talk to them about the many different approaches for them to have that support that they when they have questions, and then also to just encourage and motivate them along their way.

I have the most amazing team.

I have state members that are here in-house, and they work to support the whole structure that's going on in our state.

We have regional leadership specialists who work to support principals in central office.

Then every school with a kindergarten, first, second, or third grade has been awarded a local reading specialist.

The opportunity that you have here to impact lives is priceless.

Every single day that I get to interact with one of our local education agencies is a wonderful experience.

We're looking for people who want to come to work for purpose, and we're looking for people who may be educators, they may be school administrators, but we're also looking for people who are accountants.

We're looking for people who've been involved in local school transportation.

And so there are many, many, many career paths that lead to the State Department of Education.

And I hope that those folks who are watching will give it a try, will think about State Department of Education might be a place where I want to invest my life because I believe in giving back, and I want to invest in the lives of young people.

Tax world intersects almost every area of society.

And in state government, you think about all the things that we do as a government here in Alabama.

Everything is funded by the work that we do here at the Department of Revenue.

So we enable the state to provide for our people, whether it be law enforcement or any other support that the state provides.

All the money comes through the Department of Revenue.

I am the recruiting coordinator for the Alabama Department of Revenue.

I find candidates that are interested in working with the Department of Revenue, and I connect them with the divisions that they can work for within our agency.

Some of those positions allow you to go out in the field where you can do field work, collect sales tax or business taxes, and it gets you outside of the normal office.

I am a Revenue Tax Accountant/Auditor II.

I recently got promoted to a II, so that's exciting.

I basically audit tax returns.

We get them in from downtown and we just look at them.

We just try to see if the taxpayers are in compliance.

I'm a field auditor, which means I go on site or a taxpayer to come in and we hold their audit appointments and we just help the taxpayers as much as they can to stay in compliance with Alabama taxes.

My name is India McCants.

I've been working for the Alabama Department of Revenue since 2019.

I started off as a student intern, and now I'm a revenue tax accountant/auditor II, and I have my own mentee.

It's extremely rewarding to be able to help the citizens of Alabama.

They call in for help about their accounts or if payments haven't been applied to the correct location or their correct account.

Being in a private firm, I don't think it would have been as rewarding because it would have took away from my family life.

I would have been working a lot of overtime.

Working with revenue, you get off right at five o'clock and get to go home to your family.

You have weekends, you get to have your time and not be stuck at work at all the time.

Something I really love about working here is the people.

The people is very welcoming, understanding, and they help me to achieve what I want to be, and they have everything I need.

I'm currently in the Certified Public Manager program.

This is actually an advancement for my career here.

The state offers this as just a part of progress and promotional, and this is something that I want to use in my future.

We do have great benefits for the Department of Revenue, great health, vision, even dental, not just for you, but for your family as well for a great affordable price.

We are very family-oriented.

I do feel like this is a wonderful job, and I would tell anyone to work for the Alabama Department of Revenue.

It's really an honor for me to be here and to represent the Department of Revenue.

I am deeply proud of our team, of our people, of what we do every day, and it's an honor to be able to represent them.

If any of this sounds good to you, we'd love to have you on the team.

Hello.

Welcome to Alabama State Parks.

What we do here in the Department of Conservation is great for the quality of life in Alabama.

Between our state parks, the management of the deer and the turkey and the freshwater fish and the saltwater fish and the Forever Wild lands so that people can just get out and enjoy the beautiful state that God has originally blessed us with.

The 1,100 employees that we have in the Department of Conservation contribute to that great quality of life in Alabama, and it's really a rewarding place to work.

Well, there is never a standard day for me.

I can be out in a park looking and inspecting things, just checking up on our team.

It could also be office work, trying to get contracts.

My job is really just to, how can I best help and support our team.

There's something different happening every single day, every single weekend.

It's never the same.

There's something unique and different happening all the time, so you just never know what's going to happen.

For me personally, that's a very exciting element of my job.

I hear all the time that our guests have these incredible connections to the parks that they visit.

They take such ownership in the parks that they visit, and to be even a small part of those memories that they make is really precious to me.

It's a great place to work.

If it's somewhere you're looking to settle down for retirement, it's an awesome place to work.

If you want to do where you want to meet friends that's like family, the state park is that place.

The insurance is top tier.

Retirement is top tier.

It's what attracts a lot of people to these park jobs, our state jobs altogether.

Really, they look towards your future.

Just to think about the legacies that the men and the women that built some of these parks back in the Great Depression, and that we're now adding to the next layer in restoring these parks and keeping them up for the public, it's very rewarding.

We have people from high school students that are out of school for summer, to retired employees that come back to work at the State Parks.

There's a range.

I have an employee that's 88 years old.

Anyone can be a perfect employee.

Absolutely.

Typically, what I think is what makes the best employee is someone that wants to do something more than what just they are.

It's about leaving a legacy.

If you want to fulfill a greater purpose, Alabama State Parks is a perfect location for you, and we have something for everybody.

That is one of the most exciting things about working in State Parks is that we have the opportunity to come and work our passion every single day.

We get to tap into the most exciting parts of being in these beautiful natural resources and spending time with these incredible guests and amazing coworkers that we have.

It is the most rewarding job you will ever find.

We're always really excited to come to work every day.

At Alabama State Parks, we have something for everyone.

It can be a flex time, it can also be an hourly Seasonal employment.

We just want you all to come out and explore what we have to offer for Alabama State Parks, and we could really use the help.

Mental health is a concern that touches every corner of Alabama.

The effects of mental illness, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities create challenges for individuals and their families, as well as workplaces and communities throughout our state.

The Alabama Department of Mental Health plays a critical role in addressing these challenges by connecting individuals with compassionate accessible care.

Through almost 1,300 dedicated staff and a growing network of partners and providers, we serve Alabamians where they live.

We are deeply committed to supporting and empowering all Alabamians through innovative services and programs designed to offer the best chance for recovery and success.

Through improved access to care and advancements in treatment, we drive long-term positive change.

The strength of our department is found in our staff who serve at our three state facilities, through our regional offices, and our central office.

We recognize the importance of supporting our team through training and communication, and by fostering a workplace that values professional growth and personal well-being.

It is this support that promotes an environment in which employees feel empowered to make a meaningful difference.

It's rewarding helping the patients go back to the community or get restored to group homes.

My role here is to watch them as they progress and hopefully get better and better and be stable enough to go out in the community again.

My favorite part about the job is seeing the patients come in, vulnerable, broken, leaving, restored, getting everything that they need to go back to the community.

It's not for the faint of heart.

What we do here is very serious.

This is so the whole person that you have to deal with.

When you're dealing with someone whose mind is betraying them, getting them where they are able to return to the community, that is so positive.

The families that I meet are very appreciative and let me know that I've done an awesome job or played advocate for their loved ones, either in the hospital or wherever they were.

They come back and they inform us how good they're doing in the community.

Sometimes they call and let us know, Thank you for making an impact in our lives.

I like that we have a team approach.

That's good, too.

When I am in the trenches and things are not going well, I know someone has my back.

The retirement package is awesome.

The benefits, it's rewarding.

There's room for promotions.

Now, obviously, I can talk about the benefits all day long, but I don't want you to come here for the benefits.

I need you to come here because you care because you want to make a difference in the lives of our patients.

I just love my job.

It makes me feel awesome knowing that I've played a part in everything.

Through caring, well-trained employees and steadfast visionary leadership, the Alabama Department of Mental Health is building a healthier, stronger Alabama.

We look forward to a future in which every Alabamian has the support, care, and resources needed to thrive, and we welcome you to join us in this mission.

I'm Stephanie Azar, the Commissioner of the Alabama Medicaid Agency.

Medicaid plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality, cost-efficient health care with a workforce of about 700 skilled professionals.

Our agency has employees in health care fields such as nurses, physicians, and pharmacists, as well as other professional areas such as accountants, auditors, data analysts, IT professionals, and lawyers.

Some people start in entry-level positions such as Medicaid eligibility specialist or clerical roles, and still others come from the private sectors with many years of experience.

I'm Tiffany Minnifield, a legislative liaison in the Governmental Affairs Division here at Alabama Medicaid.

In this role, I research and track legislation that may impact Medicaid to ensure that the agency is in compliance with federal and state regulations.

I enjoy working at Alabama Medicaid because it gives me the opportunity to help people daily.

Alabama Medicaid pays for health care benefits to more than one quarter of the state's population at some point in time.

We offer health care benefits to a range of eligible individuals, including children, pregnant women, parents, and other caretakers and family planning recipients.

Additionally, Medicaid pays for coverage for the elderly and disabled populations.

Working for Alabama Medicaid has been nothing short of amazing.

My career here began as a Medicaid eligibility specialist, and I enjoyed servicing our recipient population.

We commend ourselves on connecting our recipient population with some of the best providers, along with affordable care by preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicaid program.

As a Medicaid employee, I understand that helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.

That's my purpose.

Before joining Medicaid, I worked as a nurse at a busy hospital environment.

Now, I enjoy a consistent work schedule with time off on weekends and holidays.

This predictable routine has significantly improved my work-life balance.

Serving vulnerable populations and making a difference in their lives gives me a profound sense of purpose.

If you're looking for a rewarding nursing career focused in public service, I highly recommend considering a role at Medicaid.

Making a difference is a team effort.

Medicaid employees across the state collaborate to ensure that recipients receive the services they need.

Here at Medicaid, we take great pride in providing effective and efficient health care services in Alabama.

Please consider joining our team.

We want you.

At our agency, we are driven by the core values of respect, integrity, excellence, teamwork, and innovation.

We eagerly seek dedicated professionals who share our commitment to these values.

Together, we will take meaningful steps to address the health care needs of thousands of citizens across the state of Alabama, ensuring a positive impact on our communities.

Please consider joining our team.

Scan the QR code on the screen to see the variety of positions available at Alabama Medicaid.

Hello, I'm Mark Fowler, Commissioner at the Alabama Department of Insurance.

In addition to being the Chief Regulator of Insurance in our state, the Department also houses the Alabama State Fire marshals office.

The State Fire marshals office is a law enforcement agency consisting of 42 of the finest officers in our state, as well as numerous dedicated state employees who support the state fire marshals mission to keep Alabamians safe.

The team is tasked enforcing the state fire codes to ensure that buildings are safe.

They also make sure that buildings provide adequate exits in the unfortunate event of a fire, disaster, or other emerg encies.

Among their primary duties include investigating arson and insurance fraud.

Our officers work cases in every county and truly make a difference in the lives of all Alabamians.

We are a public safety agency.

Our primary responsibility, people that, what they know of us, know us for, is we are a criminal investigative agent, meaning that we're all state law enforcement, and we investigate things such as fires, particularly when there's some belief that there's a criminal act involved or when there's a fire death.

Also, since 2013, we've taken on the responsibility of insurance fraud.

I have two assistant fire marshals, one over the arson side, one over the fraud side, and their teams that handle both of those.

I'll be honest with you, I've worked for cities before, and this is the best job I've had, simply because they're not over top of you all the time.

They expect you to do what you need to be done, and they let you do it.

It's a great job.

You get to see a lot of different things and meet a lot of different people, help a lot of different people.

We have a great organization here under Department of Insurance.

We have great deputies out in the field who do a fantastic job, determine the cause in the origin of fires, doing code inspections and things like that.

One of the requirements is to have a background in investigation.

I just worked a case the other day where we put somebody in and arrested somebody for arson, and I'm out by myself.

You have to know the steps you have to take.

You have to know what to do as an investigator, how to handle it, how to handle yourself, the steps and processes of the port system, and how to handle your case.

It's important so that if you are interested in this career field, that you learn the processes in the area or the municipality or whoever you work for first, because it is a requirement in order to get a job here that you have so many years of experience in investigations.

My favorite part of working here is the people.

Again, we have very good people.

It's a very rewarding job.

It's good to have people that you can put out there that are seasoned professional investigators that go out there and do the job without you having to worry about it.

If you're interested in a career in law enforcement and keeping Alabamians safe, we'd love to talk to you.

If you're interested in finding out more about these jobs and many others, please scan the QR code on the screen or go to our website.

It is very rewarding to serve the constituents of Alabama.

This is my first time getting the opportunity to see people get their permits for the very first time, get their license for the very first time, have locations available to them that haven't been there in the past where they don't have to travel great distances just to get a license.

We take calls from citizens as well as other agencies.

We dispatch troopers to crashes, road hazards, public assistance.

Helping someone if you break down on the road, we can send a trooper to come and help you.

If you come up and there's something in the road and you're like, "Hey, we don't want to run this over."

we're able to send troopers out to remove that item from the roadway to keep our roadways as safe as possible.

We also assist our SPI, Marine Patrol, Motor Carrier, and other outside agencies, including our county 911, and city 911, and the public.

I'm a driver's license examiner two, for ALEA.

My job entails processing applicants for their first-time identification cards, driver's license tests, conducting road tests.

We do a lot of various different programs from a motorcycle testing, vessel testing, visual testing.

I work in driver's license as an examiner.

It is definitely a rewarding job.

It could be life-changing for a lot of people.

You just never know who walks through that door, what they may have going on.

Just some people have test anxiety, and sometimes just being patient and taking your time with them and just slowing down and helping them and trying to help them with their needs and what they can do to succeed.

It's really rewarding to know that I was part of that success.

This is honestly one of the most rewarding jobs I've ever had.

I leave feeling like I had a sense of purpose and I was able to bring good to someone's life may have been struggling that day, and I leave knowing that I made a difference every single day.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is comprised of more than 1,300 employees, both sworn and non-sworn, who are called to protect and serve the citizens and visitors of our state.

In 2015, 12 legacy agencies consolidated to become what is now known as ALEA, one of the greatest law enforcement agencies in the nation.

While ALEA is largely made up of law enforcement officers that are assigned to our various divisions and units, there's also a multitude of non-sworn career opportunities all across the state.

We offer a variety of positions such as public communication officer, also known as a dispatcher, intelligence analyst, driver's license examiner, and IT technicians.

These individuals are the backbone of our organization and provide provide essential support for all our law enforcement efforts, as well as excellent customer service to the citizens we serve.

While our job may not always be easy, I can assure you that public service is one of the most rewarding and impactful careers.

I am proud to lead such a dedicated team of men and women and serve alongside them.

You could call us Agriculture and Consumer Protection because really, 90% of what we do is consumer protection.

It's making sure if you buy a gallon of gas, you get a gallon.

If the scale's at any grocery store, there's a scale there.

We make sure whatever, if they're charging it by the ounce for those grapes, and when it goes to that scale, that scale will give you the right price.

We actually are responsible, too, for the price scanner.

If they post the price to be so much for a box of cereal and you come and that scanner, it's got to have the same price as they do on that shelf.

I've been with the Department of Agriculture for 13 years.

I really like my job.

I like what I do, and I like the people I work with.

Being in the Department of Agriculture, I'm located in Montgomery, but there's offices all over the state of Alabama.

We test pumps.

We make sure the customer is getting a gallon of gas for a gallon of gas.

The price is right with the pump, we test the fuel quality, make sure that the fuel is what it is advertised on the pump, make sure it don't have any water or any contamination in there.

Department of agriculture is a great place to work.

I actually grew up on a cattle farm.

I have a cattle farm now, so that fits me very well.

I enjoy what I do.

It is never boring.

I work from home.

I have a pickup there, and when I leave my house, I go straight to where I'm going to work, and then I come back there.

If you like travel within the state, this is about as good as it gets.

It's just amazing.

We touch everybody's life every day, and they don't know it, and that's okay, because that means we're doing our job when we're not in the news.

I've been employed here for a number of years.

We're going to say 37 and counting.

And from day one, we have been family.

We're not your normal, typical workplace.

I came from a family of farmers.

My daddy was the best farmer, I think, in Marengo County.

I came here not knowing that this place existed.

And when I got here and when I saw what I saw, it was like I knew that this is where I belong.

Yeah, it's been an unbelievable place to work.

I can tell because when I go out, people always compliment me on the job I'm doing.

I realized I don't even know that person.

I've never had any contact with them.

And it's the people that work here that they're having contact with, and that reflects back on me.

I really encourage you to inquire about coming to work with us, joining our team.

It's a great place to work.

I don't think you'll ever regret it.

We've had people leave here, and it's not unusual for them to ask to come back, and that happens more often than it doesn't, it seems like.

But it's a great place to work.

Love to have you on our team, and we'll do something great together.

Apply.

Apply with the State of Alabama.

There's so many divisions within the State of Alabama.

I think agriculture is the best.

There's just so many opportunities with the State of Alabama.

Join us for Alabama Career Connection, an in-depth look at career opportunities available in Alabama state government.

Alabama Career Connection, Sundays at 1pm on Alabama Public Television.