By Brian Wahby
March 3, 2010
Do you need a job? Every ten years our government is required to count every American. The Census is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that federal dollars are often tied to the population in a city. People from many walks of life use census data to advocate for causes, rescue disaster victims, prevent diseases, research markets, and locate pools of skilled workers. When you do the math, it’s easy to see what an accurate count of residents can do for your community. Better infrastructure, more services, a brighter tomorrow for everyone depends on getting an accurate count. In fact, the information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services.
Census Bureau recruiters are calling many leaders in our community asking for assistance in hiring temporary census workers. Apparently recruiting in St. Louis City has been more challenging than some other areas, and the city is flagged as needing additional positions filled to meet the hiring goals of the Census Bureau. What’s best for St. Louisians is that the Census Bureau prefers to hire individuals who actually live in the region, because being forced to bring in people from the outside lowers census taker effectiveness, and perhaps more importantly depriving St. Louis residents of employment they could have had.
Even if you have a job or are not currently looking, please talk to your friends, family and neighbors encouraging anyone interested to apply for these jobs! And also, don’t forget to be counted, the Census Bureau will be mailing a packet of information and a 10 question questionnaire to you home – fill it out, send it back and be counted.
The U.S. Census Bureau is currently hiring temporary census takers to help conduct the 2010 Census. Hours are flexible, with a maximum of 40 hours per week. Pay is $15.25 to $17.00 per hour, plus mileage. Full details, including a practice test, are found at: www.2010censusjobs.gov. Call the St. Louis Census Bureau at 314-800-0660 to sign up for a test session near your home. Don’t wait; the Census is just around the corner.
