The state has received 827 applications as part of Gov. Josh Green's Operation Hire Hawaiʻi initiative. He issued an emergency proclamation to tap into the pool of laid-off federal workers and fill over 4,000 open positions in state government.
So far, several job offers have already been extended, and there are 42 open positions.
"There's a real need within state government for experienced, knowledgeable, dedicated civil servants in our ranks. And so it was a real opportunity for us to not only fill our jobs, but also take care of those who are negatively impacted," said Brenna Hashimoto, the director of the Department of Human Resources Development.
She shared that the number of vacancies within state government has climbed steadily over the last decade.
"Since around 2015 that number has gone from about 16% up until around 2023 it climbed to a high of 27%," she said. "It really cripples your ability to meet the needs of our community."
Hashimoto added that Green wants the state to be able to hire people into vacant positions within 14 days of receiving an application.
"So it starts with the application. We consider that day one, when an applicant submits an application. And we immediately turn those around the next business day to the department, and then we let them run with it," she told HPR.
Available positions range from entry-level to experienced and include clerical, technical and professional tasks.
"Most importantly, we want good people who want to make a difference in their community to come and join the state," Hashimoto said.
New job opportunities are posted daily. There will be additional job fairs on April 11 and 12 in Honolulu at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. For more information, click here.
This interview aired on The Conversation on March 4, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
