Employee Development and Performance Information on

How to Hire a New Employee

Hiring Information for Supervisors/Managers/Leads

The Future Begins Here

Research shows long-term employee retention begins with employee engagement. By creating a streamlined hiring process, we believe the employee’s journey should start with a warm welcome and a firm sense of the Department’s commitment to safety and career advancement. By engaging the new employee from the beginning, they are more likely to remain with the Utah Department of Transportation for years to come.

Step One: Working with Human Resources

The hiring process begins by contacting the HR Analyst assigned to you. Below is a quick list of who you will contact to initiate a job posting.

UDOT Complex: Jill Barela, jbarela@utah.gov or 385-202-4484
Region One and Region Two: Michelle Boone, mboone1@utah.gov or 801-965-4165
Region Three and Region Four: April Nicholls, anicholls@utah.gov or 801-965-4042

Step Two: Together as a Team

Employee Development is here to assist with hiring and onboarding new employees. In conjunction with Human Resources, we’ve created a checklist to guide you through the complete process from posting the new position to welcoming your new hire for their first day at their new workstation, our checklist provides every step you’ll need to complete along the way.

For travel reservations for New Employee Orientation, contact Lindsay Kibler at lskibler@utah.gov in Comptroller's.

Download the Supervisor Checklist

Learn More about Return to Work

Return Utah at UDOT

UDOT is proud to participate in Return Utah, a statewide program that helps professionals restart their careers after taking an extended break.

Whether you stepped away for parenthood, caregiving, health, education, military service, or other life circumstances, Return Utah offers a supportive path back to meaningful work.

About the Return Utah Initiative

Launched in April 2021 by Governor Spencer Cox and Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson under Executive Order 2021-8, Return Utah is part of the state’s One Utah Roadmap for economic advancement.

What the Return to Utah Program Offers

Through Return Utah, UDOT provides:

Mid-level roles that align with your experience, skills, and goals
Specialized training and coaching to refresh professional skills
Professional development resources to rebuild confidence and networks
A smooth transition into long-term career growth within UDOT

The program helps Utahns:

Overcome barriers to re-employment
Rejuvenate professional experience
Gain new training and support for long-term success

Why Hire a Return Utah Participant

Return Utah candidates bring exceptional value to teams and organizations:

Extensive experience — often 10+ years in relevant roles
Strong education — most hold bachelor’s degrees; 60%+ have postgraduate credentials
High motivation and commitment to growth
Stability — candidates are typically in a mature, steady phase of life
Unique perspectives that foster innovative problem-solving
Positive culture impact — renewed energy and teamwork
Greater diversity and inclusion within departments
Opportunities for mentorship and professional collaboration

Added Resources for Managers

Returnees come equipped with support tools that make hiring and onboarding easier, including:

iRelaunch resources
Media kits
Evaluation guides

Announcement: Updates to the Transportation Technician Education Program (TEP)

Hired After Mar 31, 2025

Effective April 1st, training will change for Transportation Technicians. New technicians will receive detailed info, including a revised TEP Guidebook, based on their role in either maintenance or construction.

Supervisors can download the new handbooks for Construction and Maintenance technicians. These handbooks and other materials provide clear guidelines for supervisors to ensure a consistent introduction to the TEP program at UDOT.

These updates reflect our commitment to providing the best possible training and support for our technicians. We believe these changes will help new Transportation Technicians succeed in their roles and contribute effectively to UDOT's mission. We encourage all supervisors and technicians to familiarize themselves with the updated materials.

Resources for Supervisors:

Onboarding Maintenance Technicians - Supervisor Handbook

Onboarding Construction Technicians - Supervisor Handbook

UDOT Learning Portal - Transportation Technician Education Program Landing Page

Please refer to “How to Hire an Intern” for more information on this process.

Last updated 10/31/24

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