EDUCATION AND TRAINING SPECIALIST - 67072372 APD/ DDDP CHATTAHOOCHEE, FL

Requisition No: 868323 

Agency: Agency for Persons with Disabilities

Working Title: EDUCATION AND TRAINING SPECIALIST - 67072372 APD/ DDDP CHATTAHOOCHEE, FL

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 67072372 

Salary:  $1,500.00- $1,990.13 Biweekly 

Posting Closing Date: 01/28/2026 

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AGENCY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

 POSITION: Education and Training Specialist- Career Service

POSITION NUMBER: 67072372

OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY

SALARY RANGE: $1,500.00- $1,990.13 Biweekly

 CANDIDATE POOL: Future vacancies may be filled from this advertisement for a period of up to six months.

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for eligible employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits, including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits.
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year.
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options.
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please click www.myfrs.com).
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Tuition waivers.
• And more! For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.
• Paid Maternity and Parental Leave.

• https://compcalculator.myflorida.com/

The Agency seeks team members who demonstrate the qualities of being humble, hungry, and smart, and lead others to embody the same. This entails lacking excessive ego, sharing credit, being self-motivated, and exercising good judgment and intuition regarding the subtleties of group dynamics. 

This position with APD will serve staff and management across the Agency. Your work will impact the workplace culture, our community, and the population we serve as we continuously strive to achieve the Agency’s mission.

Program Overview

The Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program operates on the campus of Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee and at Pathways in Marianna under the auspices of The State of Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD). The Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program (DDDP) is dedicated to empowering persons with developmental disabilities charged with a felony crime to:

1.         Acquire the skills and supports that will prepare them for success in their future environments.

2.         Acquire the skills needed to become competent to stand trial.

Position Summary

Duties of an Educational and Training Specialist include:

The development, evaluation, and coordination of the Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program and Pathways Training and Professional Development Program. 

Research and develop curricula using computer programs such as PowerPoint, Captivate, Articulate or other computer software programs for the improvement and development of our agency staff through New Employee Orientation (NEO) and continuing training.

Ensure In-service training programs are planned, coordinated, delivered, and tracked for compliance, and monitors all annual training requirements for staff.   

Update the Learning Management System (LMS) and provide reports as requested.

Administer the crisis prevention and intervention program for the DDDP/Pathways.  This includes ordering the required classroom and other materials required by required to maintain professional certification.  Coordinate the training schedules for instructors and staff, deliver training as scheduled and provide management reports regarding the status of the certification dates for current staff.

Develop, deliver, coordinate, and/or schedule specialized training to include quarterly staff updates, supervisory, operational, and/or specialized training requested by the Management Team.

Work in partnership with the State Office Training staff to coordinate, schedule and monitor the required online training to ensure that all staff fully comply with required training mandates.  Work in partnership with managers and supervisors, generating reports to ensure that all staff are in full compliance with all training mandates.

What We DO

DDDP is a forensic facility working with individuals with disabilities in a secure setting.  These individuals have been adjudicated by the courts as incompetent to proceed to trial and have significant behavioral and psychiatric issues.  DDDP provides rehabilitative, vocational, and daily living skills training to the individuals served which allows for a smooth transition back into a non-secure residential or community setting.  

Pathways is a 34-bed all male forensic facility working with individuals with disabilities in a secure setting.  These individuals have been adjudicated by the courts as incompetent to proceed to trial and have significant behavioral and psychiatric issues.  Pathways provides rehabilitative, vocational, and daily living skills training to the individuals served which allows for a smooth transition back into a non-secure residential or community setting.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledgeable familiarity with educational computer software (captivate, Articulate, power point, adobe, video/audio production software and Microsoft word programs).
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of effective communication.
• Knowledge of the principles of human behavior, learning, and communication.                                               
• Knowledge of the principles, methods and techniques of training or instruction.
• Skill to utilize educational computer software.
• Ability to train individuals or groups of people. 
• Ability to evaluate and analyze training data. 
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to utilize problem-solving techniques. 
• Ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to training functions.
• Ability to prepare a variety of written training materials such as lesson plans, curricula, or performance evaluations.
• Ability to assess training needs.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

Minimum Qualifications

Must have at least four (4) years of professional or technical experience in training, teaching, and/or conducting research. A bachelor's degree or higher may be considered for the required experience. 

   A valid driver’s license.      

Additional Information

Our campus and facilities are tobacco-free.

 WORK SCHEDULE

8:00AM – 4:30PM Eastern Standard Time Monday through Friday

This position is located at a 24-hour facility. 

Recruiting Contact:      

Jodi NeSmith      

Recruitment Manager- Developmental Disabilities Defendant Program & Pathways  

Agency for Persons with Disabilities      

Telephone: (850) 793-7075

Email: jodi.nesmith@apdcares.org

Profile Completion

Applicants must complete all fields in the Candidate Profile, including their work history within the month and year, to qualify for this position. 

Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile, and “see resume” will not be considered an acceptable response.

Resumes and other documentation can be attached to provide additional information, but this will not replace the required completed Candidate Profile.

Retiree Notice

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

Direct Deposit Program

As a condition of employment, a person appointed to a position in the State Personnel System is required to participate in the Direct Deposit Program.  Rather than receiving a paper paycheck, your funds will be deposited directly into your account at your financial institution. This will be accomplished by Electronic Funds Transfer. Banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions are eligible to accept such deposits. Retirement funds are also required to be in the Direct Deposit Program.

Background Screening Requirement

It is the policy of the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities that applicants for employment undergo Level 2 employment screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer.

No applicant for a designated position will be employed or permitted to volunteer until the Level 2 screening results are received, reviewed, and approved by the Agency.
Level 2 background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for Statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and may include local criminal records checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Pursuant to S. 110.1127(1), Florida Statutes, this position requires a background investigation, including fingerprinting.

APD only hires U.S. citizens, and those lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. APD participates in the U.S. government’s employment eligibility verification program (E-verify). E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the U.S. after completing the employment eligibility verification form (I-9).

All applicants should complete the online application process.  If assistance is needed to apply for this position, please call the people first service center at 1-877-562-7287. 

Responses to the qualifying questions are required to be considered for this position. Answers to the qualifying questions must be verifiable based on your submitted application.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.