[Announcer] Alabama Public Television presents, in partnership with state personnel, "Alabama Career Connection," a unique look at jobs available in Alabama state government, all coming up right now on "Alabama Career Connection."

(upbeat music) 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, healthcare, 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 to join us in building a brighter future for our home in Alabama.

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

You could call us Agriculture and Consumer Protection.

'cause, 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 charge me by the ounce for those grapes, and when it goes on that scale, that scale's gonna give you the right... We actually are responsible too for the price scanner.

So if they post the price to be so much for a box of cereal, and you come, and that scanner, it's gotta 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 at 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 is advertised on the pump, make sure it don't have any water or any kind of contamination in there.

Department of Agriculture's a great place to work.

I actually grew up on a cattle farm.

I have a cattle farm now, so that kind of 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 gonna work, and then I come back there.

If you like travel within the state, it's 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 'cause that means we're doing our job when nobody's, we're not in the news.

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

We're gonna say 37 and counting.

And from day one, we have been family.

We are not your normal, typical workplace.

I came from a family of farmers.

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

And 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, and I can tell because when I go out, people are always complimenting me on the job I'm doing, and I realize 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.

And so 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 'em to ask to come back.

And that happens more often than it doesn't it seems like.

But yeah, 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.

The Department of Forensic Sciences is one of the nation's oldest forensic crime laboratory systems founded in 1935.

Alabama is fortunate in that we're an independent forensic lab system, and we process items of evidence associated with any criminal act occurring within the boundaries of our state.

From Muscle Shoals in the north to Mobile in the south and from the Mississippi line to the Georgia line.

I love working for the Department of Forensic Sciences because it's an opportunity to collaborate with fellow scientists.

If I were to give someone advice who's seeking a job in the forensic science community, I would encourage someone to get involved.

Do an internship program.

Every day is an interview.

And we have an excellent, very vibrant, exciting internship program.

We make it very engaging for them.

So it's a mixture of hands-on laboratory work.

They have the opportunity to attend autopsies.

They're able to attend court.

They're able to observe testimony that we provide.

Going to court is where the rubber meets the road.

Everything we do here from a criminal standpoint has the possibility of making it into the court systems.

And we will go and defend that type of work, our work, in the court systems.

Probably the most recent case that I can think of is a case where, unfortunately, we had an individual who was committing sexual assaults with females, and he was able to go undetected for a period of time.

Alabama has a law that if you are arrested for a felony, you have to give a DNA sample.

And this individual was arrested for a felony for drug charges.

And through giving a DNA sample, we were able to provide a name through our testing, which then allowed his apprehension.

One of the things that I personally love the most, I'm a mom.

I have two children.

I have a husband.

I am the president of our PTO.

I have a lot of obligations outside of these walls, but working for the state allows me the opportunity to have a really good work-life balance.

I'm able to provide good insurance for my family.

I'm able to be with them on days off.

I'm able to accrue sick leave and paid time off.

And in some cases, you even have the option to have a flexible schedule.

So if the traditional eight to five doesn't work for you, you can find a different way to fulfill your work hours.

I would encourage anyone who is seeking an opportunity in public service, who has a spirit of science, to look for opportunities in the Department of Forensic Sciences.

We have opportunities throughout the state, from Huntsville all the way down to Mobile.

If you're looking for a place where you can demonstrate your passion for science, your passion for being part of the criminal justice system, the Department of Forensic Sciences is the place for you to be.

Our agency employs over 1,000 child welfare workers across all 67 counties in the state.

These hardworking men and women are tasked with the all-important responsibility of investigating child abuse and neglect.

They also connect families with support services designed to prevent abuse and neglect from occurring in the first place.

I won't lie to you, it is a tough, tough job.

Although I can tell you from experience that it is absolutely one of the most rewarding professions anywhere to be found.

At the end of each day, you know your efforts have improved the lives of others.

The evidence is plain as day when you see the faces of the children and families you have helped.

I always say expect the unexpected.

You never know.

It is always quick and on your toes, and it's ever-changing.

You can plan some of your stuff, but it's always spontaneous.

It's always something new.

And each family and each case is definitely independent and different.

Sometimes as a CAN worker, which is a child abuse neglect worker, you may...

I'm on the front line.

I usually meet the children when there's the initial interaction or the initial allegation of some form of abuse or neglect.

So to see that play out in the system where a child may have been abused or neglected, and then they're in turn welcomed by a welcoming home, be it other family members or foster care or a foster parent, and then seeing that child blossom into a kid that's no longer shy, sad, scared, afraid, to a child that's bubbly, outgoing, doing great in school, having great interactions with their foster families, seeing it go full circle is always rewarding.

This is what I knew that I was meant to do, is to work with families, work with children, and hopefully get them to a point where they could see that they could manage, that they could make it through whatever they were going through, whatever struggle that they were facing, you know, that they could make it through, and I was able to be there and be a support to them.

I would say to our future social workers or anyone that is interested in the case of child welfare, do it.

People ask me all the time, "I don't know how you do this," or, "Why do you do that?"

And my answer is, "How could I not?"

There is such a need for young social workers, for people to come in and really wrap their arms around these families and the children that we work with.

And I would say to them, "Don't let anybody lead you to believe that this system is too big for you to make a difference and that you can have the impact in somebody's life in shaping their future."

(gentle upbeat music) [Announcer] If you are interested in finding out more about these jobs and many others, please scan the QR code on the screen or go to our website.

Hello, I'm Mark Fowler, Commissioner of Insurance for the state of Alabama.

The work of the Alabama Department of Insurance is first and foremost about consumer protection.

We regulate insurance companies.

We assist consumers with complaints, and we ensure that the people who sell you an insurance policy are licensed and qualified to do so.

People insure their most valuable possessions, their cars, their homes, and their lives, and they buy insurance hoping nothing will ever happen.

But auto accidents, fires, somebody passes away, that's when they need that policy the most.

And we aim to get them the benefits they deserve that they've bought.

A lot of times we're able to do that for consumers that contact our department.

To be perfectly honest, I did not know that the Insurance Department existed.

I'm a 2003 graduate, Troy University, and when I graduated, I started looking for jobs because I had a degree in business.

I started doing some research online looking around and came across the Insurance Department.

So when I understood what their vision was, what their goals were, I said, "Well, this would fit me perfectly."

The favorite part of my role with the Insurance Department is being a positive impact on employees, helping them to realize what it is that they want to do with their life and their career.= and also just working with the Insurance Department.

It's a very professional department, and I've really enjoyed my time here.

My favorite thing about working for the state is the opportunity to help the citizens of the state of Alabama.

You know, doing what we do, we are at the tip of the spear with insurance regulation, ensures that insurance companies are financially solvent.

And ultimately taxpayers, the citizens of Alabama, can trust and rely on their insurers when it's time to make a claim.

So I think the future is bright for the Alabama Department of Insurance.

You know, the insurance landscape, it shifts on cyclical patterns, and right now the insurance market is hard, which makes my job that much more important because you have more people looking for alternative forms of insurance.

So I think the Alabama Department of Insurance, its future is extremely bright.

The main areas of opportunity would be in our Examinations Division, insurance examiner, also the rate analyst one position, which is in our Rates & Forms Division, and also the consumer complaint specialist position, which is in our Consumer Services Division.

And we also have the actuary classification that is also housed in the Rates & Forms Division.

Insurance in Alabama is a $33 billion industry.

Millions of Alabamians are insurance consumers.

Here at the Alabama Department of Insurance, we get to impact lives and livelihoods in many positive ways.

We feel incredibly fortunate to be here working hard for the people of Alabama.

We have more than 170 dedicated state employees who help fulfill our mission every day.

And we would love to have you join our team.

(gentle upbeat music) 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 'em that haven't been there in the past where they don't have to travel great distances just to get a license.

Here we take calls from citizens as well as other agencies.

We dispatch troopers to crashes, road hazards, public assist, 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 wanna 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 SBI, 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 II for ALEA.

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

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

I work in driver 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.

And just some people have test anxiety, and sometimes just being patient and taking your time with them and just slowing down and helping 'em 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 that 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 the dispatcher, intelligence analyst, driver's license examiner, and IT technicians.

These individuals are the backbone of our organization and 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.

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

Medicaid plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality, cost-efficient healthcare.

With a workforce of about 700 skilled professionals, our agency has employees in healthcare 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 specialists or clerical roles, and still others come from the private sector 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's 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 healthcare benefits to more than one quarter of the state's population at some point in time.

We offer healthcare 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 enjoy 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 healthcare 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 healthcare 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.

Alabama is blessed with over 23 million acres of forestland.

Most of that land is owned by small private timberland owners who manage it for a variety of different reasons, whether it's hunting, recreational opportunities, whether it's to grow timber for income, which gives us a unique biodiverse state.

The forest industry in this state is one of the most lucrative industries.

It's one of the most important part of our economy.

And more than 90% of the forests that are in this state is owned by non-industrial private landowners.

So our responsibility to assist them is very important because if we help them reach their management goals and to implement practices that can sustain the forest, we can continue this, you know, the industry for years to come.

The dispatch center for the Alabama Forest Commission is vital, a very vital part of the agency.

Without the dispatch center, our firefighters would not be able to communicate back and forth to each other, not only on the ground, but across the state.

As a fire analyst, my job is to look at fire behavior and fire models for the state and help with decision support on determining wildfire restrictions or movement of resources during times of wildfire severity.

What I do with my job is to help determine where we're gonna have problems and that way we can have resources staged available.

By doing that, the Forestry Commission is better equipped and suited to respond to wildfires and provide fire support as needed to protect Alabama's resources.

Past year we've had a lot of droughts, and we did see an increase in wildfires, so that is something that it just shows that this is a job that isn't gonna go away and that there is gonna be more need for firefighters as things progress.

Our dispatchers that work in our dispatch center are the lifeline for all those guys on the other side of the radio.

There's a very symbiotic relationship that works hand in hand.

And without the dispatch center, our agency would not be able to make the great advances that we make on a daily basis to assist our stakeholders and landowners throughout the state.

The people that we have in this agency are, in my opinion, second to none.

They are willing to step up and do what needs to be done, whether it's fighting a fire, cleaning up after a tornado or hurricane, or helping a landowner learn how to better manage their timber.

If you enjoy being in the outdoors, I would recommend working for the Alabama Forestry Commission.

It's a great place to work.

I'm outside most days and around heavy equipment, and it's something different every day.

It is not the same thing day in and day out.

One of the best things about the Forestry Commission is that there's such a wide variety of things that you can do.

You know, obviously I'm a communications public relations specialist, and I know a lot of people don't realize that they're something that you can even do in an agency like this.

But there's also, you know, the foresters, the rangers.

There's accountants.

There's a wide variety of careers that are available at an agency like this.

And so it's truly, you know, whatever you wanna do, whatever difference you wanna make, you can do it at a place like this.

I'm very proud to be the head of an agency with the type of staff that we have here today.

Their work, their dedication, their actually love for teenagers and the work that we're doing shines through.

The most important staff that we have in this department is the ones spending the most time with our students 'cause that's where the difference is made.

My position here is where I really engage with the kids.

We are the people that pick 'em up to and from school.

When the teachers are out, we are the ones that are here with them.

I help with a lot of students in their activities if they have any schoolwork.

So we're really intricate with the students.

Once you understand that you come here, and you have an impact on the boys' lives, it become more than a job.

It's like it becomes normal.

So I talk to 'em.

They understand me, and I understand them.

They are just like how I was when I was their ages.

They can get past it.

That's all it is.

Coming from industry and coming into it, at first I was nervous, but it's just the opportunity to come out here, work with young men that kind of remind me, look like me or remind me of myself.

The best days is graduation days, either when a kid passes his GED or gets something.

He come running down the street with a paper in his hand and excited.

Those are some good days when we hold graduation for GED and getting their diplomas.

And just to see the faces and then they see the parents come out here and see that child has achieved something that they couldn't do at home, but they got here with a little instruction of somebody behind 'em supporting them.

I teach brick masonry.

I come from a masonry family.

My dad was a brick mason.

My uncles were brick masons.

There's nothing like knowing you're building a retirement, a pension retirement.

There's nothing like knowing you got great benefits that you can go to doctors and get the stuff you need.

You get sick leave days.

You get these days that being in the industry and being out there, you weren't getting.

Working at DYS is a wonderful stepping stone for me.

I'm pursuing degree in criminal justice, and so this was a way for me to get in-hand experience.

And so if you're interested in wanting to move up, this is the place where you can really take leadership.

If you have ever considered having a career working for an organization that helps troubled youth get back on track, the Alabama Department of Youth Services may have a career opportunity for you.

The Department of Youth Services employs adults with various levels of education and experience.

It takes dedicated adults with many skills and talents to help change the path for our students.

DYS hires youth service workers, case managers, therapists, and counselors.

We even employ teachers and nurses.

Our students benefit from engaging with a staff who are committed to providing the help they need through mentoring, learning of skills, making better decisions, and continuing their education so they can transition successfully into adulthood with personal goals, a vision, and hope.

At DYS, we consider this a department of second chances.

The work is challenging, but the effort is worth it when you know that you have helped change the trajectory of a young person's life.

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

"Alabama Career Connection," Sundays on Alabama Public Television.

(upbeat music) (energetic upbeat music)