General Trades Worker (37.5 Hour) Office/On-site #261103-0382TC-001

State of Connecticut; Middletown (CT); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive state employee benefits

Professional growth opportunities

Healthy work/life balance

Job summary

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) at Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown seeks a General Trades Worker to perform skilled maintenance across complex building systems. The role requires diagnosing issues, performing repairs, and coordinating with contractors to keep facilities safe and functional.

Applicants should have multiple trade skills, strong documentation habits, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a demanding environment.

Qualifications

• Four (4) years of experience in one or more trade areas.
• Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been performing skilled trade functions.
• Substitutions allowed include a vocational/technical diploma or 4,000 OJT hours recognized by DOL for licensed trades.

Responsibilities

• Performs highly skilled maintenance and/or construction work across multiple trade areas (electrical, plumbing, HVACR, carpentry, etc.).
• Makes time, personnel, and material estimates for assigned tasks and keeps necessary records.
• Responds to routine and emergent maintenance needs while coordinating with vendors and internal stakeholders.
• May operate heavy equipment and supervise skilled trade areas as needed.
• Performs related duties as required.

Skills

interpersonal skills

oral and written communication

utilize computer software

prepare estimates

Education

Vocational/technical school diploma

Apprenticeship program hours (DOL-recognized)

Job description

Introduction

Bring your skilled trades expertise to a role that helps maintain a safe and reliable healthcare environment. The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) has an opening for a General Trades Worker (PCN 143720) at Whiting Forensic Hospital (WFH) in Middletown.

Schedule

• Full-time, First Shift
• Monday - Friday
• 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
• 37.5 hours per week

What We Can Offer You

• Comprehensive state employee benefits
• Access the State Employee Benefits Overview page to explore available options
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A commitment to supporting a healthy work/life balance

Position Highlights

• Perform a variety of skilled maintenance and repair work across building systems and facility infrastructure
• Inspect, troubleshoot, and address facility issues to help maintain a safe, functional, and secure environment
• Conduct preventative maintenance activities on HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems
• Coordinate facility operations and support services by working with vendors, contractors, and internal stakeholders
• Respond to routine and emergent maintenance needs while managing multiple priorities throughout the facility
• Other duties as assigned

A comprehensive medical examination, including drug screening, is required following a conditional offer of employment. All state employees must comply with Connecticut’s Drug‑Free Workplace Policy.

About Us

DMHAS is dedicated to promoting the health and wellness of individuals with behavioral health needs through an integrated, holistic network of services that foster dignity, respect, and self‑sufficiency.

WFH provides high-quality, comprehensive, and individualized treatment and evaluation services for patients with mental health conditions who are involved in the criminal justice system or are not yet ready to be safely treated in less restrictive settings.

Purpose of Job Class (Nature of Work)

This class is accountable for performing highly skilled trades duties in various trade areas.

Examples of Duties

• Performs highly skilled maintenance and/or construction work requiring the application of trade skills, codes, and standard trade practices in a variety of trade areas including but not limited to: electrical, plumbing, carpentry, HVACR, glazing, masonry, painting work, etc;
• Makes estimates of time, personnel, and material required on assigned tasks;
• Keeps necessary records;
• Performs duties related to the trade or trade areas as required;
• In smaller trade areas, may be the sole worker running a skilled trade area;
• At state owned airports may be required to stand by for and respond to fire and/or crash emergency situations;
• May operate and maintain heavy earth moving equipment;
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skill and Ability

• Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply the standard tools, materials, methods, and practices of a variety of trade areas;
• Skills
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills;
• Ability to
  • prepare estimates and keep shop records;
  • utilize computer software.

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

Four (4) years of experience in one or more trade areas.

Minimum Qualifications - Special Experience

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been performing skilled trade functions in one or more trade areas.

NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Skilled Maintainer or Transportation Maintainer 2. Housekeeping, custodial, and food services duties will not be considered as qualifying experience.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

• Graduation from a vocational or technical school with a diploma designating completion of subject requirements in a maintenance trade area may be substituted for two (2) years of the General Experience.
• At the University of Connecticut Internship Training Program: Possession of 4,000 registered on-the-job training (OJT) apprenticeship program hours, recognized by the Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship, along with related instruction hours in the respective maintenance trade area may be substituted for the General Experience for licensed trades (Electrical, Plumbing, HVACR) only.
• At other state agencies: Two (2) years of experience as a Qualified Craft Worker Trainee may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems maintenance and repair
• Experience performing preventative maintenance on a range of building systems, including HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical infrastructure
• Experience conducting inspections, diagnosing issues, and performing repairs on building systems

Special Requirements

Incumbents in this class may be required by the appointing authority to possess or acquire and retain appropriate current licenses, permits and/or certifications.

Character Requirements

At state airports: In addition to the checking of references and of facts stated in the application, a thorough background investigation of each candidate may be made before persons are certified for appointment.

Physical Requirements

• Incumbents in this class must have adequate physical strength, stamina, physical agility, and visual and auditory acuity, and must maintain such physical fitness as to be able to perform the duties.
• A physical examination may be required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Incumbents in this class may be required to lift moderate to heavy weights; may be exposed to extreme weather conditions and to risk of injury from equipment.
• The appointing authority may require completion of hazardous materials training programs, such as asbestos, PCB, PFAS, consistent with EPA guidelines for operations and maintenance during employment in this class. Incumbents may be required to use protective equipment such as respirators and safety goggles.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.