U.S. Census Bureau Seeking Applicants

(NNPA) - At a time when many companies are downsizing, the U.S. Census Bureau is seeking thousands of job applicants in Seattle and other cities across the U. S.
Monica Davis, media specialist for the Philadelphia Regional Census Center, said the agency is recruiting a pool of 5,950 individuals from the Philadelphia region alone as it gears up for the 2010 Census.
The agency has more than 1,000 slots available in different areas. An estimated 300 to 500 workers are needed for the census' address canvassing operation.
According to Davis, the Census also has temporary office positions throughout the 2010 Census preparation process that range from clerks through office supervisors.
"There (are) a variety of skill sets," Davis said.
The positions last an estimated six to eight weeks.
"People who are hired for those positions can always re-apply for other census operations," Davis said.
The full- and part-time temporary positions feature flexible hours, paid training, mileage reimbursement as well as the opportunity to work near home. Wages range from $12 to $20 per hour. The agency is also hiring in Camden, Trenton and Newark, Del.
The city's Census Office opened in November and is one of 150 local census offices opening throughout the country in 2008.
Job applicants must take a basic skills test at testing sites throughout the city.
For information, call the free jobs hotline at (866) 861-2010 or visit their Web site at www.census.gov/rophi/www/emply.html.
The U.S. Constitution requires a population and housing count every 10 years. The effort employs a workforce of 1.3 million temporary employees to count every man, woman and child.
Census results are the basis for congressional representation and the distribution of federal, state and local funds totaling over $300 billion annually.