Although Census Day takes place 15 months from now, April 1, 2010 , the Census Bureau has already begun soliciting job applicants to work on the headcount. Peak hiring will begin in February and continue through May 2010. The jobs will generally be temporary assignments, with most lasting from five to 10 weeks. The results from the census affect how congressional seats and $300 billion in federal assistance are apportioned to state, local and tribal governments. “The jobs, which offer competitive wages and flexible schedules, also allow people to work in their neighborhoods and for their neighborhoods,” said Marilia Matos, the Census Bureau’s associate director for field operations. “We hire locally, and an accurate count means a fair distribution of money for schools, roads, neighborhood improvements and elderly care in your community.” The operations center for the Southern California region, which also includes Hawaii, opened in Northridge earlier this year. There are approximately 90 employees working in that office already, said Yolanda Lazcano, recruiting coordinator. “We’ve pretty much reached our peak here,” she said of the operations center. “We started hiring at the beginning of the year.” The bureau has been conducting job fairs and recruiting efforts around the Valley. “We did reach out to Harmon Kardon because they were having layoffs,” said Lazcano, “We had a job fair there at their site.” A second office in Van Nuys will be the hub for workers covering the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Antelope, Simi and Conejo valley region. By the time census activities are in full swing, they will have between 400 and 600 workers in just the Van Nuys regional office. Prospective applicants must be U.S. citizens over the age of 18 with a drivers license, and be able to pass a basic skills test. Bilingual applicants are heartily encouraged to apply. Those who are hired will be paid for training on how to use the GPS-equipped hand-held computers that will verify, add and delete addresses of those who do not respond to mailed surveys. A toll-free number for job applicants will direct callers to their nearest local office. Applicants should call 877-232-3385 or go online to the Los Angeles regional census website: www.census.gov/rolax/www. The website has a practice test and a schedule of local recruiting events plus other information.
