MoDOT has 60 open maintenance positions. It hopes to hire homeless people to fill some
The Missouri Department of Transportation has 60 open positions to fill before winter hits the region and they expect to make it happen in partnership with City Union Mission.
MoDOT is looking to hire about 60 full-time maintenance workers before October that can help them with their winter operations, and they hope homeless people at City Union Mission will be able to fill some of those positions. The department’s staff visited the mission’s Christian Life Center Monday morning to explain job requirements and discuss the process with potential applicants.
“It went very well,” Deborah Hogan, MoDOT human resources manager, said. “We had about 10 people that came out that wanted to apply for the job. And my staff helped them get on the system and apply for the job.”
Applicants need to be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license and a high school diploma or GED. They have to pass the written portion of the commercial driver’s license (CDL) test. MoDOT will lend them their trucks for the remaining part of the CDL application, Hogan said.
Employees will be trained and receive benefits including paid holidays, paid sick leave, medical insurance and pension based retirement, among others.
Besides filling the positions, the goal of the partnership is to help Kansas City’s homeless population, Hogan said. They want to contribute to the recovery of people who need a job to get their fresh start.
“We look for good people, and we have people here in our city, within our community who meet the qualifications of the job, whether they’re homeless or whether not,” Hogan said. “And we’re willing to hire and make sure that we can make a difference in the community in which we work.”
This initiative was proposed by Eric Thompson, a MoDOT employee who worked with them for 31 years and passed away in March. Thompson used to volunteer at City Union Mission and suggested the partnership to hire and help homeless people who are qualified for available jobs. MoDOT decided to continue with the initiative after his passing.