{"id":1077,"date":"2024-10-15T20:14:24","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T20:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/?post_type=chapter&p=1077"},"modified":"2025-08-17T01:44:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T01:44:10","slug":"a-career-in-state-government","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/chapter\/a-career-in-state-government\/","title":{"rendered":"12.1 Career Opportunities in State Government"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n\r\nOhio\u2019s state government operates through a wide range of agencies that deliver services, regulate industries, and support communities. Each offers distinct career opportunities for people interested in public service.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Administrative Services (DAS)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Provides centralized services to state agencies, including procurement, human resources, IT, and facilities management.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Organizational management, procurement, technology support, HR, and facilities administration.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Agriculture (ODA)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Oversees food safety, farming standards, plant and animal health, and even amusement ride inspections.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Food inspection, agricultural policy, consumer protection, and environmental compliance.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Children & Youth (DCY)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Coordinates services for Ohio\u2019s children, youth, and families, including early childhood programs, foster care, and adoption.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Child welfare, program administration, case management, policy development, and family support services.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Commerce<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Regulates businesses, financial institutions, and markets. Its Division of Unclaimed Funds helps Ohioans reclaim lost or forgotten assets.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Regulatory enforcement, consumer outreach, financial services, and licensing oversight.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Development (ODOD)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Promotes economic growth and community development through workforce initiatives, business support, and housing programs.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Economic development, grant administration, housing programs, and business outreach.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Education & Workforce (DEW)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Oversees Ohio\u2019s public schools, curriculum standards, and assessments, while also connecting education to workforce development.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Policy analysis, curriculum development, workforce alignment, and data systems.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Health (ODH)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Protects and improves public health through disease prevention, emergency preparedness, health inspections, and community health initiatives.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Epidemiology, health education, emergency management, regulatory enforcement, and program coordination.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Job and Family Services (ODJFS)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Administers programs such as unemployment insurance, Medicaid, food assistance, child support, and workforce development.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Social services, benefits administration, workforce programs, and policy implementation.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Natural Resources (ODNR)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Manages parks, forests, waterways, wildlife, and oversees mineral resources, dam safety, and recreational programs.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Conservation, environmental planning, outdoor recreation, and regulatory roles.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Public Safety (ODPS)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Promotes safety through emergency response coordination, homeland security, licensing, and oversight of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Law enforcement, emergency management, highway safety, homeland security, and licensing.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Oversees Ohio\u2019s prison system and rehabilitation programs for inmates.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Correctional management, rehabilitation services, parole supervision, and facility operations.\r\n\r\nDepartment of Transportation (ODOT)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Maintains Ohio\u2019s highway system and supports public transit, aviation, and other transportation infrastructure.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Civil engineering, project management, transportation planning, and operations management.\r\n\r\nEnvironmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Enforces state and federal environmental laws, regulates pollution control, and manages emergency environmental response.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Environmental regulation, compliance, water and air quality analysis, and emergency response.\r\n\r\nOhio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) (Division of Public Safety)<\/em>\r\n\r\nMission & Role: Enforces traffic laws, investigates crashes, and provides emergency and investigative support services.\r\n\r\nPublic Service Opportunities: Troopers, investigators, aviation support, and public safety communications.\r\n
\r\n\r\nState Agencies<\/strong>\r\n\r\nFind links to all state agencies here<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
\n

Ohio\u2019s state government operates through a wide range of agencies that deliver services, regulate industries, and support communities. Each offers distinct career opportunities for people interested in public service.<\/p>\n

Department of Administrative Services (DAS)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Provides centralized services to state agencies, including procurement, human resources, IT, and facilities management.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Organizational management, procurement, technology support, HR, and facilities administration.<\/p>\n

Department of Agriculture (ODA)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Oversees food safety, farming standards, plant and animal health, and even amusement ride inspections.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Food inspection, agricultural policy, consumer protection, and environmental compliance.<\/p>\n

Department of Children & Youth (DCY)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Coordinates services for Ohio\u2019s children, youth, and families, including early childhood programs, foster care, and adoption.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Child welfare, program administration, case management, policy development, and family support services.<\/p>\n

Department of Commerce<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Regulates businesses, financial institutions, and markets. Its Division of Unclaimed Funds helps Ohioans reclaim lost or forgotten assets.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Regulatory enforcement, consumer outreach, financial services, and licensing oversight.<\/p>\n

Department of Development (ODOD)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Promotes economic growth and community development through workforce initiatives, business support, and housing programs.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Economic development, grant administration, housing programs, and business outreach.<\/p>\n

Department of Education & Workforce (DEW)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Oversees Ohio\u2019s public schools, curriculum standards, and assessments, while also connecting education to workforce development.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Policy analysis, curriculum development, workforce alignment, and data systems.<\/p>\n

Department of Health (ODH)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Protects and improves public health through disease prevention, emergency preparedness, health inspections, and community health initiatives.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Epidemiology, health education, emergency management, regulatory enforcement, and program coordination.<\/p>\n

Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Administers programs such as unemployment insurance, Medicaid, food assistance, child support, and workforce development.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Social services, benefits administration, workforce programs, and policy implementation.<\/p>\n

Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Manages parks, forests, waterways, wildlife, and oversees mineral resources, dam safety, and recreational programs.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Conservation, environmental planning, outdoor recreation, and regulatory roles.<\/p>\n

Department of Public Safety (ODPS)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Promotes safety through emergency response coordination, homeland security, licensing, and oversight of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Law enforcement, emergency management, highway safety, homeland security, and licensing.<\/p>\n

Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Oversees Ohio\u2019s prison system and rehabilitation programs for inmates.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Correctional management, rehabilitation services, parole supervision, and facility operations.<\/p>\n

Department of Transportation (ODOT)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Maintains Ohio\u2019s highway system and supports public transit, aviation, and other transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Civil engineering, project management, transportation planning, and operations management.<\/p>\n

Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Enforces state and federal environmental laws, regulates pollution control, and manages emergency environmental response.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Environmental regulation, compliance, water and air quality analysis, and emergency response.<\/p>\n

Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) (Division of Public Safety)<\/em><\/p>\n

Mission & Role: Enforces traffic laws, investigates crashes, and provides emergency and investigative support services.<\/p>\n

Public Service Opportunities: Troopers, investigators, aviation support, and public safety communications.<\/p>\n

\n

State Agencies<\/strong><\/p>\n

Find links to all state agencies here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":511,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1077","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":56,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/511"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1077\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2520,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1077\/revisions\/2520"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/56"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1077\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1077"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1077"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/statelocalgov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}