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More Jobs in Fort Lauderdale Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:19:00 +0000

More jobs in Fort Lauderdale were lost at the beginning of this year.

Although the area's January unemployment rate has not yet been released, Florida's rate as a whole increased from 11.7 percent to 11.9 percent, which is higher than the national rate of 9.7 percent. Fort Lauderdale had an unemployment rate of 10 percent during December 2009.

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach area had a total non-farm employment of 697,000 workers during January, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 708,400 workers during December and a 4.5 percent decrease from last year.

No industries managed to add jobs on a monthly basis. Employment in the government industry remained even over the month with 101,800 workers. Only one industry saw a yearly increase in employment.

The education and health services industry employed 94,200 workers during January, which is down from 94,700 workers during December, but a 1.8 percent increase from January 2009.

The construction industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year. The industry employed 32,300 workers during January, down from 33,400 workers during December and a 23.1 percent decrease from last year.

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in employment include:

manufacturing by 12.6 percent
trade, transportation and utilities by 4.5 percent
information by 12.2 percent
financial activities by 7.3 percent
professional and business services by 3.1 percent
leisure and hospitality by 3.6 percent
other services by 1.3 percent
government by 1 percent

Jobs in Pittsburgh PA Benefit from New Service Law

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:07:00 +0000

Those with service jobs in Pittsburgh PA will never again have to worry whether or not they're receiving the going pay rate.

A citywide policy aimed at creating jobs that pay prevailing wages to service workers employed at city-subsidized developments has become law. The law requires developers that receive subsidies or other tax-incentives to pay the private-sector going rate to building service, food service, hotel and grocery workers.

"The law ensures Pittsburgh families will see more of their tax-dollars go toward creating good jobs," 32BJ SEIU President Mike Fishman said. "Cities around the country should get out of the business of creating poverty jobs."

During the past few years, some individual projects have required that prevailing wages be paid to workers in permanent jobs at subsidized developments, but no comprehensive citywide policies had been implemented.

While the Davis-Bacon Act requires that prevailing wages be paid to construction employees working on projects where federal dollars are used, no comparable federal requirements exist for permanent service jobs created at those same sites.

"Low-wage jobs in the service industry are keeping our families in poverty," Gabe Morgan, Western Pennsylvania director of 32BJ SEIU, said. "Developers should not benefit from tax breaks unless their plans include good jobs for our city's working families."

The new law also requires that city contractors pay prevailing wages to their workers. This places Pittsburgh among more than 140 cities that have set wage standards for their contracting programs, according to the National Employment Law Project.

Professional Engineering Jobs in Dallas through Streetcar Grant

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:25:00 +0000

A new round of funding that will bring a streetcar project to the area could create several professional engineering jobs in Dallas, as well as much-needed construction jobs and other permanent positions.

The City of Dallas recently received a $23 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to build a starter streetcar line from downtown to Oak Cliff. The funding the city is slated to receive is only about half of what officials originally requested.

Under the original proposal for a streetcar project, Dallas asked for $96 million that it would split with Fort Worth. However, as the grant total was reduced, Fort Worth was completely dropped from the plan.

According to an article by The Dallas Morning News, the project will not begin anytime soon, as it takes three years to even purchase streetcars. In addition, Dallas still has to evaluate the city's proposed route.

The grant will pay for a starter loop that is expected to reach Oak Cliff, but work will continue on a larger streetcar initiative that would cost $80 million and complement a second light-rail line downtown when it opens in 2016.

The starter loop will begin at Harwood and Main streets, then run along Main Street to Houston Street, where it will connect with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority and Trinity Railway Express lines at Union Station.

The streetcar line also would stop at the Dallas Convention Center, Trinity River park, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Oak Cliff Gateway and several residential areas.

Aside from the streetcar grant, the North Texas Tollway Authority also received a separate $20 million grant to perform work on State Highway 161. The two grants slated for Texas were part of 51 total grants given out.

Funding for the grants will come from a $1.5 billion special grant competition that brought in requests for more than $59 billion in funding.

Los Angeles Nursing Jobs: LVNs

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:51:00 +0000

Those seeking Los Angeles nursing jobs should consider working as a licensed vocational nurse.

The healthcare industry throughout the nation as a whole has remained stable despite the economic recession. Although the Los Angeles area has lost some jobs on a monthly basis, employment has increased over the year.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale area's education and health services industry employed 520,200 workers during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 520,600 workers during November, but a 1.9 percent increase from December 2008.

Nursing is one of the most popular and most needed professions in the healthcare industry. Some areas throughout the country are having trouble finding enough qualified workers to fill open nursing positions. Along with registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses are among the most popular nursing occupations.

Licensed vocational nurses care for ill, injured, convalescent or disabled persons in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes and similar institutions. Most LVNs work under the supervision of a registered nurse.

In order to become an LVN, you must first obtain the proper licensing. In addition, most employers prefer candidates with postsecondary vocational training. During Q1 2009, LVNs in the Los Angeles area earned an average salary of $22.92 per hour, according to the California Employment Development Department.

Positions for LVNs are expected to grow during the near future. Employment in Los Angeles County is expected to increase from 17,940 workers during 2006 to 20,180 by 2016, a growth rate of 12.5 percent.

Throughout California, the top industries employing LVNs are:

General medical and surgical hospitals at 28.4 percent
Nursing care facilities at 21.9 percent
Home healthcare services at 13.1 percent
Employment services at 10.1 percent
Offices of physicians at 6.5 percent
Community care facilities for the elderly at 3 percent
Outpatient care centers at 2.4 percent
Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals at 1.3 percent

Job Openings in Tampa Florida Created by Davidoff

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:23:00 +0000

One company's plan to relocate its headquarters to the city will help create nearly 100 new job openings in Tampa Florida.

The Oettinger Davidoff Group recently announced that it plans to move its current U.S. headquarters from Stamford, Conn., to an existing facility in Tampa, which will result in the creation of 90 new jobs and $10 million in capital investments.

According to the Pinellas County Economic Development, those positions will pay 150 percent of the average annual salary in the area. Officials in the county competed with counterparts in South Carolina for the project.

Davidoff, which is based in Switzerland, makes tobacco products and is known for its array of cigars. The company's new headquarters will provide warehouse and distribution to customers throughout the country.

Florida's target industry program will provide Davidoff with tax refunds for the new jobs it creates. The company also will receive funding from the Governor's Quick Action Closing Fund, including $240,000 from the state, $20,000 from the county and up to $64,000 in tax and fee reductions from Pinellas Park.

The additional jobs will be welcome in the Tampa area, which has continued to see a decrease in employment over the year.

During December 2009, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area's unemployment rate remained at 12.4 percent, following an increase from 11.8 percent during November. The area's rate is higher than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10 percent.

The area had a total non-farm employment of 1,163,100 workers during December, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,159,800 workers during November, but a 4.2 percent decrease from December 2008.

Nashville Government Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:05:00 +0000

There are plenty of options for those considering Nashville government jobs.

The Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin area's government industry employed 104,700 workers during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 104,600 workers during November and a .1 percent increase from December 2008.

The City of Nashville became tied with Davidson County during the 1960s in an attempt to avoid urban sprawl by dubbing itself the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. The government system offers many services, including police, fire, electricity, water and sewage treatment.

According to Wikipedia, the area's government is split into two districts: the "urban services district," which governs the boundaries of the former City of Nashville as they were set in 1963, and the "general services district," which includes the remainder of Davidson County.

There are seven smaller municipalities within the city and county government. Those municipalities use a two-tier system of government, with the smaller municipalities responsible for providing police services and the metro government responsible for providing other services.

Nashville itself is governed by a mayor, vice-mayor and Metropolitan County Council, which is made up of 40 members. Karl Dean currently serves as the city's mayor, while Diane Neighbors serves as the vice-mayor and president of the council.

The council serves as the legislative body of government for the city and county, with five members elected at large and 35 members elected to represent individual districts.

Although local elections are officially considered nonpartisan, the majority of the city's elected officials are Democrats. As far as state government, Democrats currently hold the majority of Nashville's state House of Representatives districts and state Senate districts.

When it comes to federal government, Nashville is split between two congressional districts, with most of the city located in the 5th District.

Democratic favoritism is no less prominent at the federal level, with only two instances of a Republican presidential candidate carrying the area. The city often favors Democratic nominees, despite the fact that the State of Tennessee as a whole often votes in favor of Republicans.

Miami Dade County Jobs Among Worst in Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:33:00 +0000

The probability that unemployed workers will find Miami Dade County jobs is among the worst in the nation.

The most recent Job Search Difficulty Index ranked the Miami area 48th among the 50 best cities for job seekers, with only St. Louis, Mo., and Detroit ranking worse. The report is based on the ratio of jobless workers to the number of job openings advertised online.

The index found that Miami had 14.47 unemployed individuals per advertised job opening during December 2009. Florida as a whole fared slightly better, ranking 37th among all states, with 8.82 unemployed workers per advertised job.

Washington, D.C., was ranked as the best city for job seekers, with 1.87 unemployed workers per advertised job, while Detroit was ranked as the worst city, with 20.76 unemployed workers per available job.

The District of Columbia was ranked as the best state for job seekers, with 1.65 unemployed workers per job openings, while Michigan was ranked as the worst state, with 18.97 unemployed workers per advertised job.

The top 10 cities for job seekers are:

Washington, D.C.
San Jose, Calif.
Baltimore, Md.
Boston, Mass.
New York, N.Y.
Salt Lake City, Utah
Hartford, Conn.
Denver, Colo.
San Antonio, Texas
Austin, Texas

The 10 worst cities for job seekers include:

Orlando, Fla.
Providence, R.I.
Birmingham, Ala.
Los Angeles, Calif.
Sacramento, Calif.
Las Vegas, Nev.
Riverside, Calif.
Miami, Fla.
St. Louis, Mo.
Detroit, Mich.

The top 10 states for job seekers are: the District of Columbia; Virginia; North Dakota; Massachusetts; Maryland; Nebraska; Alaska; Colorado; Connecticut; and Utah.

The 10 worst states for job seekers include: California; Alabama; North Carolina; South Carolina; Kentucky; Rhode Island; Nevada; Idaho; Mississippi; and Michigan.

Nevada Jobs Situation to Remain Bleak

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:44:00 +0000

With the state's economy one of the worst hit by the economic recession, those searching for Nevada jobs won't easily find reprieve this year.

Nevada saw some relief during November 2009, as the state's unemployment rate declined from 12.9 percent to 12.3 percent, but officials say unemployment is declining for the wrong reasons. In addition, jobs were still lost on a monthly and yearly basis.

The state had a total non-farm employment of 1,166,000 workers during November, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 1,174,800 workers during October and a 6.1 percent decrease from November 2008.

As evidenced by the continuing decline in employment, many economists are predicting that, while the rest of the nation begins to recover, Nevada will continue to fall behind, and may not see any improvement until the middle of the year.

"It projects to be a slow, anemic recovery," Tom Cargill, an economist at the University of Nevada, Reno, told The Associated Press. "If I were a private businessman, I wouldn't be hiring or expanding. I just don't see much positive out there."

In fact, many economists are predicting that Nevada will see a jobless recovery, meaning there will be no employment growth as companies get by with their existing staff members.

"So those who remain are working harder, and we're seeing a huge increase in productivity," Cargill said. "But it's not sustainable."

Bill Anderson, an economist with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, predicts the state's economy will "tread water through much of 2010," and will be lucky to see outright growth by late 2010.

"As a result, countless Nevadans will struggle over the next several months," he said, adding that any employment growth this year will be an improvement from 2009.

Elliott Parker, an economist with UNR, predicts that Nevada's unemployment rate will increase through spring if the state cuts jobs because of its impending budget deficit. However, he does not expect the unemployment rate to reach more than 14 percent.

"That's partly because I expect people to leave for jobs that are opening elsewhere," he noted.

More City of Orlando Jobs Cut by Top Employers

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:23:00 +0000

More of the top employers cut City of Orlando jobs (Click here) this year.

Orlando Sentinel's 2009 Top Employers survey found that, for the second year in a row, more companies in Central Florida cut jobs than added positions. From 2008 to 2009, those 100 companies eliminated 17,545 jobs, accounting for a 4.7 percent decrease in employment.

Of the companies included in the survey, 53 have fewer workers than they did last year, 38 have more workers and four have the same number of workers they did in 2008. The remaining five companies were not included in last year's survey.

This is a big hit to the economy, considering that more than one in every four workers in Central Florida is employed by one of the top companies. The survey includes employers and job seekers in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties.

Companies on the list employ a total of 361,052 workers, which is a 2.5 percent decrease from last year. Walt Disney World, which is the largest single-site employer in the nation, employs 16 percent of workers included on the list and about 4 percent of all workers in Central Florida.

The top 10 companies included in the survey are:

Walt Disney Co. - 58,400 workers during 2009 vs. 62,200 workers during 2008
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. - 24,598 workers during 2009 vs. 15,170 workers during 2008
Adventist Health System - 21,185 workers during 2009 vs. 25,876 workers during 2008
Publix Super Markets, Inc. - 16,876 workers during 2009 vs. 17,500 workers during 2008
General Electric Co. - 13,000 workers during 2008
Orlando Health - 12,073 workers during 2009 vs. 12,523 workers during 2008
McDonald's Corp. - 9,500 workers during 2009 vs. 8,550 workers during 2008
Marriott International Inc. - 8,674 workers during 2009 vs. 7,504 workers during 2008
Hilton Hotels Corp. - 7,738 workers during 2008 and 2009
Lockheed Martin Corp. - 7,360 workers during 2009 vs. 7,931 workers during 2008

Baltimore Jobs with Lower Pay More Affected by Recession

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:15:00 +0000

Those with lower-paying Baltimore jobs have been most affected by the current economic recession. Visit http://baltimore.jobing.com to learn more.

"The State of Working Maryland 2009," a study from the Progressive Maryland Education Fund and the Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute, found that low and moderate-income families in Maryland "represent the bulk of the job losses and foreclosures."

In particular, median wages have decreased for workers throughout the state without a bachelor's degree, and those with some college education saw an 8 percent median wage decline. Workers with less education typically experience higher levels of unemployment.

"These families are much more likely to be living paycheck-to-paycheck without any savings to cushion a downturn," the report notes. "For these families, a setback quickly becomes a crisis."

Workers at all levels have had to deal with job losses, income reductions and reduced hours. During July, the average workweek for an employee in Maryland was below 35 hours, a 9 percent decrease from early 2008.

Adding to the problem is the fact that as more residents need financial help, government agencies and nonprofits are falling victim to state budget cuts. In response, the Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute has requested an increase in taxes in order to avoid cuts.

Joanna Smith-Ramani, director of the Baltimore CASH Campaign, said she has seen a lot of residents in "deep financial distress." The program offers tax preparation and financial education to lower-income workers.

"People have lost jobs, they've lost health insurance," she told The Baltimore Sun. "They didn't have the flexibility before or didn't make the choice to have an emergency savings account, so they literally have nothing to fall back on."

Smith-Ramani added that even some people who did manage to save up funds have already spent that money. She thinks the only way things will turn around is if businesses start increasing employment instead of cutting jobs.

"People are so anxious because they have no clue when it's going to end," she said. "There's definitely this sense that 'things aren't going to get better for me; I don't know what to do.'"

While Maryland has managed to add jobs on a monthly basis, the state's unemployment rate has increased and overall employment has decreased when compared to last year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

During October, the state saw its unemployment rate increase from 7.2 percent to 7.3 percent, which was still lower than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10.2 percent. Maryland had a total non-farm employment of 2,536,600 workers, up from 2,535,100 workers during September, but a 2 percent decrease from last year.

The Baltimore-Towson area's unemployment rate increased from 7.5 percent to 7.7 percent during October. The area had a total non-farm employment of 1,289,200 workers, up from 1,279,700 workers during September, but a 2.2 percent decrease from last year.

Austin Retail Jobs Outlook Ranks Best in Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:33:00 +0000

The future is bright for those with, or looking to find, Austin retail jobs.

Pitney Bowes Business Insight recently released its list of the 10 markets throughout the country that will be most promising for retailers during the next six quarters. Austin was ranked first for its "consistent healthy growth" in gross metropolitan product and personal disposable income.

"Austin tops our list in all of the retail sectors we examined for sustained retail sales growth," the report notes. "As we look forward to the next six quarters, Austin also places in the top five markets for all retail sectors we examined."

The retail industry contributes to Austin's stable economy. The Austin-Round Rock area's unemployment rate has remained at 7.2 percent since August, placing it well below the current national unemployment rate of 10 percent.

The area had a total non-farm employment of 780,700 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 774,700 workers during September, but a .4 percent decrease from last year.

Despite Baltimore, which ranked second, the remaining top five cities in the report also are located in Texas, including: Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The report states that markets in Texas have remained resilient throughout the recession, in part because they never faced the same housing collapse or decrease in unemployment as cities in other states.

The top 10 retail markets include:

Austin, Texas
Baltimore, Md.
Houston, Texas
Dallas, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Washington, D.C.
Seattle, Wash.
Kansas City, Mo.-Kan.
Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, R.I.-Mass.
Columbus, Ohio

Pitney Bowes Business Insight used MarketPulse software to compile the report, which analyzed current and predicted macroeconomic and demographic data and sales history. The firm looked at sales results for the past six quarters and estimated sales growth for the next six quarters.

Number of Jobs Denver Has to Increase Next Year

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:31:00 +0000

The number of jobs Denver (Click here) and Colorado have is expected to increase next year.

According to a recent report from the University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business, economists predict that although the state will lose 3,200 jobs next year, Colorado will begin to add jobs during the second half of 2010. Many think this prediction is a sign the state's economy will improve next year after losing about 100,000 jobs so far this year.

"We still have some serious kinks to work through, but we see 2010 as a stabilizing year that will put the state economy in a position for more sustained growth in 2011 and 2012," Economist Richard Wobbekind said.

Economists estimate that Colorado's unemployment rate will increase from 7.3 percent at the end of this year to 8.1 percent during the beginning of 2010. The Governor's Budget Office previously predicted that there will be an 8 percent unemployment rate next year.

State legislative economists are expected to release their projections by the end of this month. During September, they predicted the unemployment rate will rise to 8.6 percent during 2010, as frustrated job seekers who have stopped looking for work will rejoin the job market.

During 2007, Colorado had an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent, but the last 10 years have been slow in terms of job growth. To put things in perspective, the state has added about 870,000 residents since 2000, but only 117,900 jobs.

During October, Colorado saw its unemployment rate decrease from 7 percent to 6.9 percent, following a decrease from 7.3 percent during September. The state's current rate was well below the national unemployment rate at the time of 10.2 percent.

Colorado had a total non-farm employment of 2,241,100 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,240,100 workers during September, but a 4.3 percent decrease from last year.

The Denver-Aurora-Broomfield area saw its unemployment rate decrease from 7.1 percent to 6.8 percent during October. During that month, the area had a total non-farm employment of 1,202,000 workers, up from 1,201,900 workers during September, but a 3.9 percent decrease from last year.

State of Texas Jobs See Big Increase

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:45:00 +0000

Tens of thousands of State of Texas jobs (Click here) were added during October.

The Texas Workforce Commission recently reported that the state added 41,700 jobs during October, with the most significant increases occurring in the professional and business services and education and health services industry.

Although several jobs were added, the unemployment rate in Texas slightly increased from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent during October. However, that rate is almost two full percentage points lower than the national unemployment rate, which now sits at 10.2 percent.

"In October, the Texas job market regained some lost ground experienced over the past several months, although it is too soon to indicate a trend," Tom Pauken, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission, said. "The Texas unemployment rate continued to edge upward as our state continues to feel the effects of the national economic downturn."

During October, employment in the education and health services industry increased by 14,900 jobs, while employment in the professional and business services industry increased by 10,800 jobs and employment in the financial activities industry increased by 4,500 jobs.

Employment int he leisure and hospitality industry increased by 2,600 jobs, while employment in the trade, transportation and utilities industry increased by 2,500 jobs during October.

The construction industry, which has been one of the industries most negatively impacted by the recession, lost 9,400 jobs during October.

"Reports of job gains in October are good news, and certainly better than the alternative, but we remain concerned about the many Texans who still cannot find work," Ronny Congleton, the Texas Workforce Commissioner representing labor. "We want to encourage those seeking work to take advantage of the job-search and training services available at our workforce centers across Texas."

St Louis Medical Jobs, Education Jobs Only Positions to See Yearly Increase

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:36:00 +0000

Despite the fact that Missouri's unemployment rate declined, St Louis medical jobs and education jobs were the only positions to increase when compared to last year.

Although the October unemployment rate for the St. Louis area has yet to be released, Missouri as a whole saw its unemployment rate decrease from 9.5 percent to 9.3 percent last month. That decrease places the state's current rate below the national unemployment rate of 10.2 percent.

The St. Louis area had a total non-farm employment of 1,319,800 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,317,100 workers during September, but a 3.2 percent decrease from last year.

Five industries saw a monthly increase in employment, including: manufacturing by 200 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities by 800 jobs; professional and business services by 800 jobs; education and health services by 2,000 jobs; and government by 2,000 jobs. Employment in the financial activities industry remained steady at 78,000 jobs.

The education and health services industry was the only one to add jobs on a yearly basis. The industry employed 217,600 workers during October, up from 215,600 workers during September and a 1.3 percent increase from last year.

The mining, logging and construction industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year. The industry employed 70,900 workers during October, down from 72,100 workers during September and an 11.3 percent decrease from last year.

Other industries that saw an over-the-year decrease in jobs include:

manufacturing by 9.7 percent
trade, transportation and utilities by 3.2 percent
information by 2.3 percent
financial activities by 1.8 percent
professional and business services by 3.2 percent
leisure and hospitality by 2.7 percent
other services by 7.3 percent
government by .4 percent

Milwaukee Job Training Goes Green

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:59:00 +0000

Anyone looking for a green-collar Milwaukee job will soon find it easier to receive training.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently gave the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board a $98,364 "green capacity building" grant to use on training opportunities for workers in the solar and weatherization fields.

The grant will specifically be used to expand Milwaukee Builds, a program designed to train low-income and unemployed people. Don Sykes, chief executive of the Workforce Investment Board, said the program will help lift people out of poverty.

"The model will put people back to work and provide the necessary basic skills as a first step in their career path," he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Department of Labor issued green training grants to 62 agencies throughout the country, with an emphasis on under-served communities, through funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The ARRA has provided funding for several other green jobs initiatives throughout Milwaukee.

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association received a $3.2 million grant to train technical college instructors and others how to install solar panels. The initiative is meant to teach those instructors how to train more solar installers as the demand for green energy sources increases.

The Wind Energy Education Collaborative - a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College - received a $330,184 grant to help train workers for jobs in the wind-power industry.

That project is meant to increase the number of people in southeastern Wisconsin able to find jobs in the wind industry, as well as to serve as a training model for other colleges and universities throughout the country.

In addition, more students are becoming interested in green-collar careers, according to the University of Wisconsin Extension. Most recently, an online degree program in sustainable management attracted twice as many students as university officials expected, with 166 students enrolling in the program as opposed to the expected 90 students.

Atlanta Construction Jobs Crumble by 20.1 Percent

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:21:00 +0000

While most industries saw a yearly decrease in employment last month, Atlanta construction jobs decreased by more than 20 percent.

During October, Georgia saw its unemployment rate increase from 10.1 percent to 10.2 percent, placing it on par with the national unemployment rate. The October unemployment rate for the Atlanta area has not yet been released.

The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta area had a total non-farm employment of 2,273,400 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,272,800 workers during September, but a 5.7 percent decrease from last year.

Five industries managed to see a monthly increase in employment, including: construction by 100 jobs; professional and business services by 2,700 jobs; education and health services by 2,800 jobs; other services by 900 jobs; and government by 2,700 jobs. Employment in the mining and logging industry held steady at 1,400 workers.

Only two industries gained jobs on a yearly basis. The education and health services industry employed 270,500 workers during October, up from 267,700 workers during September and a 2.7 percent increase from last year. The government industry employed 341,300 workers during October, up from 338,600 workers during September and a .2 percent increase from last year.

Even though it added 100 jobs during the last month, the construction industry took the biggest hit when compared to last year. That industry employed 98,100 workers during October, up from 98,000 workers during September, but a 20.1 percent decrease from last year.

Other industries that saw a yearly decrease in employment include:

mining and logging by 6.7 percent
manufacturing by 12.7 percent
trade, transportation and utilities by 8.1 percent
information by 6.3 percent
financial activities by 8.7 percent
professional and business services by 8.7 percent
leisure and hospitality by .5 percent
other services by 1.2 percent

Employment Background Check Procedures No Longer Include DNA

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:27:00 +0000

The controversial decision of one school to include DNA testing as part of its employment background check procedures has been reversed.

The University of Akron recently announced that in addition to criminal background checks, it would require all new employees to submit a DNA sample. While many colleges require employees to undergo background checks, adding DNA to the mix would be a first.

Some faculty and community members quickly took exception to the new rule, and one adjunct faculty member quit because of it. There also was concern that the school never consulted with the American Association of University Professors before passing the new rule.

"(Akron wants) a safe environment for all of its students and employees," Laura Martinez Massie, University of Akron spokeswoman, previously said. "DNA testing was included in the policy because there have been national discussions that indicate that in the future, reliance on fingerprinting will diminish and DNA for criminal identification will be the more prominent technology. (Akron wants) the flexibility to adopt the new technology if we found it necessary."

However, CBS News has reported that the university's Faculty Senate is now willing to remove references to DNA testing from its background check policy. Part of the reason is that the new rule would have violated the upcoming Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

As opposed to the previous rule - which stated that a "DNA sample for purpose of a federal criminal background check" may be collected from any prospective faculty, staff or contractor - the university's rule now states, "The candidate may be required by the law enforcement agency to provide additional information which is needed by the law enforcement agency for purposes of conducting the criminal background check."

Jobs in San Antonio for Disabled Veterans

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Disabled people looking for jobs in San Antonio will soon get some help from a nonprofit organization that is expanding into the area.

Enable America, an organization that works to improve employment opportunities for disabled veterans and all other disabled people, recently announced its plan to expand operations into San Antonio.

"Our programs have been proven to build bridges between people with disabilities and employers, and we're proud to bring them to San Antonio," Richard Salem, founder and CEO of Enable America, said. "Given the area’s strong military presence, our increased attention to improving employment for wounded warriors comes at the right time."

While Enable America provides various services, the organization recently named November Disabled Veteran Employment Mentoring Month, and plans to focus its efforts on facilitating on-the-job mentoring programs for disabled veterans.

"For a person with a disability, who has trouble finding a job, going to work for just a single day can be a tremendously rewarding experience, an experience that many of us take for granted," Salem added.

One company, Clark Construction, already held a mentoring program for disabled veterans on Veterans Day.

"Clark is very committed to working with Enable America and helping promote jobs and mentoring disabled veterans because they give so much to our country," John Omran, executive vice president of Clark Construction, said. "It is our duty to give back and do whatever we can to help provide opportunities, and show that life, opportunities and jobs are out there."

Enable America has contacted several other businesses and service organizations in the San Antonio area in hopes of finding those who want to serve as mentors to disabled veterans and veterans themselves who want to take part in upcoming mentoring programs.

"While this is the right time to begin this initiative, we won’t limit our outreach to just November," Steve LaBour, executive director of Enable America, said. "We coordinate employment mentoring year-round, and we’ll continue to reach out to all people with disabilities who need assistance in getting back into the work force."

Jobs for Colorado Timber Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:55:00 +0000

One local timber company has received a large amount of funding that it will use to create more jobs for Colorado.

Delta Timber recently announced that it has received a $500,000 grant that must be used to fund local jobs. The company said it will use the funding to double Delta Timber's current workforce, adding about 15 to 20 jobs.

The grant money is coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Forest Service, which received $1.15 billion for forest project work throughout the country.

Those extra jobs will allow Delta Timber to employ full-time crews at the company's saw mill and planer operations. Up until now, the company has been assigning workers to one location or the other on a rotating basis.

"The purpose of this grant is to create jobs, jobs, jobs," Eric Sorenson, co-owner and general manager of Delta Timber, told the Delta County Independent. "There is a real concern that too much of the state’s timber industry has gone out of business. The idea of this grant is to help keep the industry surviving.

"We received 19 letters of support from local economic development, from vendors we work with, from the county commissioners, from state legislators, and even from a U.S. senator," he continued. "We are really grateful for the community support we receive in Delta. It is quite overwhelming and I want to say how much we really appreciate this community."

The added jobs could help target growing problems in the timber industry. As of late, there has been an increased push to recognize forest health issues, including Sudden Aspen Decline and beetle infestations that are threatening to kill pine and spruce forests.

The Colorado State Forest Service received two grants to distribute on a competitive basis. A $6.25 million grant will create or retain jobs focused on forest restoration and fuels mitigation projects and a $4.465 million grant will help fund jobs affiliated with developing and implementing community wildfire protection plans.

Overall, the Colorado State Forest Service received 52 proposals totaling more than $32 million, with 20 counties in Colorado, including Delta County, slated to receive part of the stimulus funding.

Thousands of Portland Jobs Available

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Career seekers wondering what jobs Portland Oregon has to offer may benefit from a recent report.

The Oregon Employment Department recently released a report detailing the job vacancies in the Portland Tri-County area, and found that during the spring of this year, there were about 8,575 available jobs.

Of those jobs, one-tenth were left unfilled for at least two months. The 25 occupations with the most vacancies accounted for only 42 percent of all job openings, meaning there was a wide array of open jobs beyond the top 25.

The most demanded jobs included: registered nurses with 451 vacancies, personal and home care aides with 235 openings and retail salespersons with 224 vacancies. Occupations in personal care, social services, education, architecture and engineering and healthcare had higher rates of long-term vacancy.

When it comes to specific industries, those with the most job openings included: healthcare and social assistance, educational services, accommodation and food services and retail trade. Those four industries combined represented 61 percent of all vacancies in the Portland area.

More than 50 percent of all vacancies required candidates to have an education beyond high school, while 45 percent required a license or certificate. More than four out of five openings in the educational services, manufacturing and professional and technical industries required post-secondary education.

On the other end of the scale, fewer than one in five openings in accommodation and food services; retail trade; arts, entertainment and recreation; transportation and warehousing; and agriculture required post-secondary education.

One-fourth of the available jobs paid workers at least $20 per hour, while 28 percent paid less than $10 per hour.

Jobs in Phoenix Arizona through New Career Center

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:39:00 +0000

A new career center will help people find jobs in Phoenix Arizona.

Goodwill of Central Arizona recently announced that it will open a new career center in northeast Phoenix. The grand opening, scheduled to take place next week, will not only offer resources to help candidates find work, but also will feature companies and employers who are looking to hire, such as Wells Fargo.

The career centers help job seekers create the best possible applications and resumes and help employers connect with local workers. It is estimated that the career centers throughout the Phoenix area will serve about 25,000 people this year. So far, 4,600 people have been placed in local jobs.

"It's a community that doesn't have a career center, and there is a need in that community," Michael Shawn Burchett, career services coordinator for Goodwill of Central Arizona, told the azcentral.com. "It's for individuals who need help presenting themselves to employers. We find that a lot of individuals have the qualities, but they might not be as skilled as they can be at creating resumes and selling themselves to employers."

Burchett added that Census jobs have been very popular as of late. It is thought the Census will create 3,000 to 5,000 jobs in Phoenix. Other popular jobs include office work, industrial work, drivers, warehouse work, healthcare and customer service.

"The job market has stayed about as difficult as it's been all year," he added. "We've seen a few signs of employers using our services a little more than they had earlier in the year, but we still are seeing the same increasing numbers of individuals that are unemployed. So far, the unemployment numbers are remaining the same at about 9 percent."

Jobs in Oregon Created by ARRA

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:30:00 +0000

The federal stimulus plan has created thousands of jobs in Oregon.

The State of Oregon recently released a report that found the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created and preserved more than 8,000 full-time jobs throughout the state since February.

"With this report, I can say with full confidence that the Recovery Act provided Oregon a much needed parachute for what was a free falling economy," Gov. Ted Kulongoski said.

Not only did the ARRA create several jobs immediately after it was created, but it also helped thousands of state residents secure food stamps, unemployment benefits and funding for education.

Overall, Oregon is expecting to receive $3.9 billion in ARRA funding during a three-year period. Of that, about $1 billion has been expended, with only $269 million falling within new federal reporting requirements.

"This investment in states across the nation represents not only an unprecedented infusion of dollars to the state and local economies," the Kulongoski said. "It also represents an unprecedented level of public transparency and accountability for how those dollars are invested."

Oregon also recently launched a Web site that provides details about quarterly reports to the federal government as part of a plan for commitment to transparency and accountability for ARRA funding.

"With our new Web site, you can see that thousands of Oregonians in every corner of the state have been touched by the Recovery Act," Kulongoski added. "Whether through food stamps, unemployment benefits or helping keep our school doors open - thousands of Oregonians have received a helping hand from our federal partners to help minimize the pain caused by this difficult economic period."

12,000 Las Vegas Jobs Available

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Unemployed workers haven't had a lot of luck finding Las Vegas jobs lately, but a new mega development project slated to open in December could turn that around.

MGM Mirage recently issued what it is calling the "single biggest hiring opportunity in the history of the U.S." The company plans to hire 12,000 employees to work at CityCenter, an $8.5 billion complex of shops, condos, boutique hotels, restaurants and casinos scheduled to open at the end of this year.

As of September 20, CityCenter had already received 160,000 applications for the 12,000 available jobs. Of the available positions, 4,000 have been offered to current MGM employees.

"This concentration of new jobs is not happening anywhere else in the U.S.," MGM Mirage CEO Jim Murren told SmartBrief. "To have it happen [in Las Vegas] will have a profound effect."

According to various reports, the 12,000 employees to be hired will include 4,280 food and beverage servers, including 165 master cooks; 1,300 casino workers, including dealers and slot operators; 1,200 hotel employees; 130 massage therapists and manicurists; and 130 responsible for handling lighting, props and other functions for the Cirque du Soleil.

The project, described as a 67-acre city within a city, will include an electric CityCenter Tram and an 8.5 megawatt co-generation plant. Properties within CityCenter expected to hire include the Vdara Hotel, the Mandarin Oriental non-gaming hotel, the Aria Resort and Casino and the Crystals, a retail and dining district.

There's no denying that Las Vegas could certainly benefit from the abundance of jobs CityCenter is offering. The city has seen its unemployment rate grow as jobs continue to be lost and as the gaming and real estate industries continue to decline.

During August, the Las Vegas-Paradise area saw its unemployment rate increase from 13.1 percent to 13.4 percent, which was higher than the national unemployment rate at the time of 9.7 percent. The area has not seen its unemployment rate decrease since April 2008, when it went from 5.2 percent to 5 percent.

The area had a total non-farm employment of 846,900 workers during August, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 851,800 workers during July and a 6.7 percent decrease from last year.

Pre Employment Test in Florida County Could Include Drug Screening

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Drug testing is often a part of the pre employment test process for many employees, and teachers are no exception.

Most recently, school board members in Manatee County, Fla., have been considering amending employment policies to require all applicants to pass a drug screening test. Teachers and substitute teachers would be included in the new policy.

Drug tests are not currently part of the pre employment test requirement for the school district. However, the district has the ability to send any employee to be tested if they appear to be impaired at any time.

Student athletes are among those in the district who are randomly tested. Officials say the process serves as a deterrent and gives students a reason to say no to drugs. Those in favor of the new policy don't think school employees should be treated any differently. However, district officials say they haven't had any incidents to prompt the change.

As a state, Florida allows each county to decide whether or not school districts will drug test employees. Other counties in the state, including Orange and Sarasota counties, have already enforced the policy.

"We drug test all new employees, including substitutes," Scott Ferguson, Sarasota School District spokesman, told the Bradenton Herald, adding that students working part time for the district are exempt from the policy.

If the School District of Manatee County passes the policy, current employees would not be tested for drug use, and the district would pay the bill for any new hires needing to be tested.

"But you can’t put a price tag on being sure we have a drug-free work environment,” School Board member Harry Kinnan said.

Houston Teaching Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Jen Carpenter) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Although the area has a lot to offer, there are plenty of opportunities for those looking for Houston teaching jobs.

The education industry as a whole is currently considered one of the best to get into and is often considered to be recession-proof. As there will always be students and people wanting and willing to learn, there will always be a need for educators.

During July, the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown area's education and health services industry employed 291,700 workers, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 291,600 workers during June and a 1.8 percent increase from last year.

The Houston area has a lot to offer when it comes to both primary and secondary education. There are currently 17 school districts serving the city. Among them is the Houston Independent School District, which is the seventh-largest in the country. HISD alone has 112 campuses that serve as magnet or vanguard schools, which specialize in disciplines such as health professions, visual and performing arts and sciences.

The Houston area also has many charter schools that are run separately from school districts. Some public school districts also have their own charter schools. In addition, the area is home to more than 300 private schools, many of which are recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission.

The Houston Area Independent Schools offer education from a variety of different religious and secular viewpoints. The Houston area Catholic schools are operated by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

When it comes to secondary education, the Houston area is home to more than 60 colleges and universities, with a total of about 360,000 students. The area's four public universities focus mainly on research and development.

The University of Houston is Texas's third-largest public research university with more than 36,000 students from 130 countries. The school offers more than 300 degree programs and contains 40 research centers, making it the flagship institution of the University of Houston System and one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the nation.

Other public universities include UH-Clear Luke, an upper-level university with 89 degree programs and 7,700 students; UH-Downtown, an open admissions four-year university offering 46 degree programs with 12,300 students; and Texas Southern University, a historically black four-year university with a pharmacy program and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Houston also is home to many private colleges and universities, which range in nature from liberal arts to research. In addition, there are three community colleges in the Houston Community College System.