Less than a week after the U.S. government temporarily reopened after a 35-day partial shutdown, the Transportation Security Administration announced it was aggressively recruiting security officers at Denver International Airport ahead of the "busy summer travel period."
Those interested in becoming a transportation security officer at DIA -- full-time or part-time -- are invited to attend “fast track” recruitment events on Feb. 9.
Starting pay is $18.70 per hour with opportunities for pay increases after six months, according to a release from TSA.
"This event enables individuals to participate in an accelerated hiring process by first attending an information session and then completing multiple application steps in one day," a release from the agency read.
During the partial shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, 2018, TSA's 51,000 officers were among the 420,000 federal employees deemed essential and ordered to work without pay. On the last day of the shutdown, the TSA announced it would give airport screeners and other agency employees partial pay since they had been without their regular paychecks for more than a month.
President Donald Trump agreed that day to reopen the government for three weeks even though the bill to end it did not include his highest priority, $5.7 billion to build a wall on the southern border. If a deal is not reached in Congress in the time the government is open, it's expected to shut down again on Feb. 15.
During the hiring event, TSA officials will discuss the duties of a TSO and the application process. They also will discuss benefits, which include paid leave, health care plans for full- and part-time employees and 401k coverage. Applicants are required to have two valid forms of state or federal identification.
Applicants must be 18 years or older, a U.S. citizen or national and have a high school diploma, GED or security experience equivalent.
Information sessions on Saturday are scheduled on the hour starting at 8 a.m. and go until noon at TSA Offices at 3855 Lewiston St. in Aurora. Parking at the building is free.
Information sessions, plus the preliminary hiring components, can take between 3-5 hours, so TSA recommends arriving early in the day.
A similar hiring event is happening the following weekend in Boston.
Applicants can apply for the positions on-site, but are encouraged to apply early.
Interested individuals may also call 877-872-7990 with any questions.
