More than 4,400 people applied for the new federal screening positions at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, but only 159 had been hired as of July 15 — the most recent date available — to fill the 328 positions.

        That means roughly 3.6 percent of all original applicants got jobs — and government officials are encouraging more to apply.

        The Transportation Security Administration, created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, is struggling to find qualified applicants and enough women to fill more than 52,000 screening positions for the nation's airports. It has until Nov. 19 to replace the current security screeners with federal employees.

        “It's proving to be a slightly longer process than we expected,” said David Steigman, Transportation Security Administration spokesman.

        Nationally, only 7,700 of the nearly 517,000 applicants who qualified for the screening process were hired. That surprises some local employment experts. Job openings similar to these positions — paying a starting salary of $23,600 to $35,400, and including health insurance, retirement benefits and paid leave — are usually in high demand.

        “When employment services has jobs listed that pay in the range of $12 to $13 an hour with benefits — which is that salary range broken down — there's generally no problem in generating a substantial pool of applicants,” said Janet Hoover, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Cabinet for Workforce Development.

        Mr. Steigman said getting applicants is not the problem. Rather, it's getting people to meet all the requirements and then show up for the follow-up interviews.

        Applicants must be U.S. citizens with a high school diploma or one year of full-time work in airport screening or another security position and be proficient in English. During the multistep application process, potential hires must complete physical tests, including vision and flexibility, to ensure they can bend down and use the detection wand.

        Applicants also submit to a criminal background check, in which the TSA checks for felonies, TSA spokeswoman Heather Rosenker said.

        Their financial background is also questioned, including providing information about bankruptcy in the last seven years and if the applicant was more than 180 days delinquent on loans or financial obligations.

        “We believe that the new standards are an important aspect of our commitment to the security of travelers around the nation,” Ms. Rosenker said. “It's critical.”

        To apply, go online or call (877) 631-5627.

        Last month, hundreds — including Kristen Stallsworth of Burlington — turned out for a TSA job fair in Florence. The 30-year-old mother of two thought the job would be a good opportunity to get back in the workforce after taking time off after her year-old daughter was born.

        Ms. Stallsworth, a former program registrar for the Girl Scouts, was called back for a computer assessment test and again for a physical and drug test.

        Each part of the application process takes between four and six hours. Once hired, applicants must complete 40 hours of training and 60 hours of on-the-job training.

        The TSA's goal is to fill one-third of all screening positions with women, down from the original aim of half. Ms. Rosenker did not state how many women had applied for the local airport positions.

        The administration wants to have enough women to do same-gender secondary searches, she said.

        “I think it will be an awesome opportunity,” Ms. Stallsworth said. “I'm just waiting for them to call.”

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