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DPW budget hearing highlights hiring struggles for engineers, cement finishers and specialized staff
Summary
Department of Public Works staff told Providence councilors the department is struggling to recruit engineers, project managers, cement finishers and other technical roles; councilors pressed for retention measures and non-monetary incentives while staff said some new positions are already in recruitment.
Providence—s Department of Public Works told elected officials Tuesday that recruitment and retention are a central constraint on the department—s ability to deliver projects on time.
DPW described multiple vacancies across engineering, highway and related divisions. New positions authorized in the previous budget—s package (an assistant chief engineer and a project manager) remain open while DPW also listed a civil engineer vacancy and vacancies for heavy equipment operators in the highway division; the GIS coordinator position had been filled very recently, staff said.
Why it matters: Short staffing slows permitting, project management and in-house work such as small sidewalk repairs and sewer line maintenance. Councilors said the staffing shortfalls contribute to the slow pace of neighborhood projects and asked what the city is doing to be more competitive with private-sector pay.
Recruitment challenges and department responses DPW said competition with the private sector and tough market conditions make hiring difficult. The department reported some recruitment progress (candidates in process for at least one position) and said it will continue to advertise and adjust recruitment outreach. The department also highlighted workplace improvements tied to a forthcoming move to a new building that leadership believes will help attract candidates.
Non-monetary incentives and workforce development Councilors asked about non-monetary benefits to improve retention. DPW said it is exploring flexible schedules, hybrid work for eligible positions and improved training/apprenticeship pipelines with local technical schools (DPW reported outreach to a regional technical school for cement finisher recruitment). DPW also noted that field specialties such as cement finishing are "lost arts" that require training, which increases lead time to produce qualified crews.
Ending: Councilors told DPW they expect a recruitment plan with timelines and a report on which vacancies are most directly slowing capital work. DPW said it will provide updated vacancy lists and hiring progress to the council.
