|
Census Bureau counting on a few good staffers |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 04 November 2009 |
By MICHELLE ZLOMKE
Chief Managing Editor
The U.S. Census Bureau’s regional office is looking for a few good men and women.
Actually, the agency is looking for a few thousand men and women to apply for positions in the western two-thirds of Nebraska. Those employees will help distribute the Census Bureau’s 2010 questionnaire.
“Our goal is to recruit 5,000 applicants and out of that, hire 1,000 to work across the state,” said Vic Gentry.
Gentry manages the U.S. Census Bureau’s office in North Platte.
Gentry made a multi-county swing through central Nebraska last week, hoping to stir up interest in the Census Bureau jobs that will begin in January.
Gentry’s territory extends from Nebraska’s western border to Hall and Adams counties, which include Grand Island and Hastings.
“In some of these counties, we are really short-staffed,” Gentry said. “Custer and Loup are two counties we are really quite low in.”
Outside of Grand Island, Kearney and Hastings, all households in the territory will receive hand-delivered Census questionnaires.
“People respond favorably to local people going to visit their neighbors,” Gentry said.
Census Bureau staffers will deliver the 10-question form to every residence beginning in February. The forms are mailed back to the Census Bureau.
“They do not have to ask any questions or help people fill them out,” Gentry said.
He said work schedules are flexible, and would typically involve six to eight hours work per day during the peak period. Census employees work in teams, led by a crew leader.
For every person counted in the state, Nebraska receives $1,114 in Federal funding.
“We need the money, every county does,” Gentry said. “The only way to do it is if we’re counted. We send all our money to the federal government, we might as well get some of it back.”
Census counts also determine representation in Washington, Gentry said.
“We’re liable to lose a congressman if we don’t get people counted,” he said.
Census Day is April 1, 2010, and that is the date by which people should return their Census forms.
After that, Gentry said, follow-up crews return to homes that have not returned their forms.
That’s a costly prospect, according to Gentry. For every one percent of questionnaires that goes unreturned, the United States spends $90 million in tracking them down.
“We’re talking billions of dollars across the nation that’s spent when people don’t respond,” he said.
The Census Bureau is providing testing and training now in North Platte for positions. By December, the agency will have a testing and training site in Broken Bow.
To apply for a position, people may contact Bobbie Thompson, assistant manager of recruiting, at 308-221-3040.
To qualify for a position, people must:
• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Pass a background check
• Be able to commit to several days of training.
People will be paid for training, which could be held during daytime, evening or weekend hours.
• Take a written examination of basic skills.
That examination will test people's clerical, reading, number and organizational skills, as well as their ability to interpret information and evaluate alternatives. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 11 November 2009 )
|
Huskers.com
