Henrico Schools to hold job fair, raise pay for new bus drivers

HCPS will host the job fair at Fairfield Area Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Henrico Schools is seeking candidates for a variety of positions across the school division, including teachers and substitute teachers, temporary instructional assistants, bus drivers, school nutrition staff, school security officers, and custodial staff members.

The school system also will offer a bonus of up to $3,000, which will be paid in installments throughout the year, to new bus drivers once they join the transportation team. Henrico Schools has said that candidates do not need bus driving experience.

“Don’t worry if you don’t have bus driving experience – if you’re a qualified driver candidate, you’ll be paid as you train,” according to a Sept. 7 HCPS press release.

Candidates for full-time and substitute bus drivers must be at least 21 years old, have a valid Virginia driver’s license, pass a physical and a drug test, and obtain a CDL Class B instructional permit or hold a CDL Class B license with endorsements in “Passenger Transportation/School Bus.”

For returning bus drivers, HCPS will offer new safe driver and attendance initiatives as well as extended full-time contracts for drivers who want to work during summer school.

Henrico Schools is currently 98% staffed, with 22 bus driver vacancies and 70 full-time teacher vacancies, as of Aug. 24. There are 47 SSO vacancies as of Aug. 22, according to HCPS Assistant Director of Communications Ken Blackstone.

Over the summer, Henrico County employees received an 8.2% staff pay raise for the 2023-24 school year and Henrico Schools boosted its minimum wage to $15 an hour. Henrico Schools also will offer bonuses for staff members entering certain roles and for teachers that are part of the Opportunity Schools initiative.

The school system recently was named one of Virginia’s “Best-In-State Employers” for 2023 by Forbes magazine.

Candidates who can’t make the job fair or who have questions can call the HCPS Human Resources Department at 804-652-3664 or visit the HCPS Careers page to keep up to date with future hiring events, available benefits, or applications.