New York State Department of Civil Service Announces Examinations Open to All Qualified Individuals

Public Administration Traineeship Transition Program

The announcement of this examination is hereby amended (see below):

For Advancement in State Departments, Facilities, and Agencies

1. Within Promotion Units
2. Within Entire Departments
3. To Other Departments

The PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TRAINEESHIP TRANSITION PROGRAM (PATT) provides qualified clerical, secretarial, and paraprofessional aide employees an opportunity to participate in a variety of traineeships, including a two-year Public Administration Traineeship working in administrative operations, fiscal operations, or program implementation leading to Grade 18.

This TRANSITION EXAMINATION is one of several concepts included in a Memorandum of Intent agreed to by New York State and CSEA, and is designed to provide opportunities for employees within State service. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and Vietnam era veterans are encouraged to apply. Successful completion of this program may lead to opportunities to compete for middle and top level management positions. Agencies have the option of using the eligible list from the PATT examination or the eligible list from the open-competitive Professional Careers Test (PCT), which requires a bachelor's degree.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before May 31, 2008, you must be a qualified employee of New York State and have had two years of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as follows:

• in a clerical/keyboarding/secretarial title allocated to G-9 or higher; OR
• in a paraprofessional aide title allocated to G-9 or higher, where the duties are primarily administrative; OR
• as a Commissary Clerk 2, Energy Assistance Review Aide, Food Stamp Information Aide, Institutional Retail Store Assistant Manager, Medical Test Assistant, Senior Medical Records Clerk, Senior Office Machine Operator, or Treatment Unit Clerk.

Note

Service in a direct-care position or in an entry-level clerical/keyboarding title is not qualifying experience. For example, service in a Mental Hygiene Therapy Assistant, Developmental Aide, Nursing Station Clerk, Clerk 1, or Keyboard Specialist 1 title is not qualifying. In order to be considered qualifying, your experience must have been in a title where the duties and responsibilities of the overall class of positions are primarily clerical, secretarial, or administrative in nature. Out-of-title work cannot be credited in determining eligibility to compete in this examination.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before June 30, 2006*, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

* Revised Material

Salary

The salary received will depend on a number of factors, including your salary prior to appointment and the salary of the title to which you are appointed. Traineeships filled from this examination advance to either the G-14, G-15, or G-18 levels. You will see the grade level for the trainee title and the journey level title on the canvass letter when you are being considered for appointment. If you accept a trainee appointment that leads to G-14, you will remain active on the eligible list for trainee appointments that lead to grades higher than G-14 and, if you accept a trainee appointment that leads to G-15, you will remain active on the eligible list for trainee appointments that lead to grades higher than G-15.

If your salary is below the hiring rate of the trainee title at the time of appointment, your salary will be increased to at least the hiring rate of the trainee title. If your salary at the time of appointment exceeds the hiring rate of the trainee title and is based on service in a graded position, you will maintain that salary, provided that it is not higher than the job rate of the journey level of your traineeship.

Traineeships

A variety of assignments are filled from the eligible list established from the Public Administration Traineeship Transition Program. Entry-level appointments are made to various administrative, fiscal, and program traineeships as vacancies occur.

An appointee's performance in the trainee position and in prescribed training and development programs will be observed and evaluated. The prescribed training and development program will include extensive on-the-job training and carefully designed and monitored work experience. An appointee not meeting required standards can be terminated at any time after the initial eight weeks and before completion of the traineeship. An appointee will be placed on leave from their permanent title and will revert to that title if they do not successfully complete the traineeship.

The human resources and agency operations management career field covers positions in personnel, labor relations, and employee development and training. Trainees are assigned to work on issues relating directly to the responsibilities of a particular agency program. Examples of traineeships in this area include: Senior Municipal Personnel Consultant, Senior Personnel Administrator, and Senior Staffing Services Representative.

The fiscal and management analysis career field covers positions in budget, finance, and administrative analysis. Trainees may be assigned to State departments or agencies to analyze organizations, identify problems, and develop recommendations to assist management in solving those problems. Other possible assignments include reviewing and making recommendations on the funding or capital construction plans of assigned State agencies or developing recommendations on the overall financial plan of the State. Examples of traineeships in this area include: Budget Examiner, Senior Budgeting Analyst, Senior Administrative Analyst, and Underwriter 1.

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Subject of Examination

There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
2. Quantitative analysis - These questions cover the interpretation and manipulation of numeric data provided in tables. You must decide the logical structure of the data and then manipulate it in some way, (e.g., complete missing entries). You may be asked to draw conclusions and to analyze data trends or interrelationships.
3. Understanding and interpreting written material related to government and social issues - This test area covers reading comprehension. It includes questions based upon passages related to government and social issues, which can be answered without additional knowledge of the content area of the passages.
4. Verbal analysis - These questions test for the ability to evaluate conclusions in the light of known facts. The test area consists of sets of facts and conclusions. You must decide whether the conclusion is proven by the facts, disproven by the facts, or neither proven nor disproven. The questions are not specific to any job title.

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans' credits to your final passing score.

Credit for Seniority

Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof), excluding the first year of service.

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How To Apply

Note

The eligible list created from this examination may be used to fill positions requiring proficiency in a foreign language. If you are considered for appointment to a position requiring foreign language proficiency, you will be required, at the time of the employment interview, to demonstrate proficiency in speaking and reading the particular language at a level that will ensure your ability to perform the duties of the position.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

In addition, it is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to enjoy equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their applications. Further information is available from the Special Arrangements Unit of the Department of Civil Service at 518-457-2487 [press 2, then press 2] in the Albany area, toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 2], or via TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) at 518-457-8480.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1].

Multiple Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

With the exception of written tests announced by New York City, if you have applied to take a written test announced by a local jurisdiction (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must call 518-474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627 [press 2, then press 1], no later than two weeks before the test date, to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center.

Eligibility for Examination

To be eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.

S5/TA1 JLR-tlm
Issued: 2/22/08

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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