Jobs Opening Locally With Census Bureau

There's some good news on the job front.
The U.S. Census Bureau is starting to hire people, and the first step happens Thursday.
The bureau will conduct tests Thursday for people who want to work for the agency in Bayou La Batre.
The tests will be held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Bayou La Batre Civic Center.
Census officials said they're looking for people from Bayou La Batre to work in Bayou La Batre.
No word right now of dates for hiring in other parts of our area.
Meanwhile, your census forms will start arriving at your home throughout the area during the middle of next month.
Government officials are trying to spread the word about why you should fill out the census.
But are some people still afraid of government intrusion?
You might call it a pep rally to remind you to fill out your census form.
People who stopped at a display in Bayou La Batre Wednesday could learn about the census, and also get free t-shirts, footballs and tote bags.
Census officials said each person counted means money for the state and, ultimately, you.
Theresa Nguyen with the U.S Census Bureau said, "The state needs that money to use to maintain the roads, to build new schools, housing, senior housing and hospitals."
Census officials said Bayou la Batre is one of their priority areas because they're afraid Hurricane Katrina led to people here not being counted in the past.
They're even bringing in people who speak Vietnamese to make sure those who work in the seafood industry are counted.
Anh Nguyen with the U.S. Census Bureau said, "They are in the hard-to-count population. Most of the men are out in the seas and they've been out on the sea for a long time, and they miss out in the census count."
Census officials know some people don't want to fill out the forms because they're afraid of the government, or who will get their personal information.
Theresa Nguyen said, "We do not care if they are here for whatever reason, there, here, we don't care. We don't ask that on our form at all. We don't share the data with anybody."
But is that message getting out?
When asked if he had any problems with filling out the census, Cecil Bosarge of Bayou La Batre said, "No. We've always filled it out in the mail."
Eric Bush of Mobile said he isn't afraid of private information getting out to the government.
He said, "They've got all your information anyway, so there's nothing you can hide from them."
Linda Goleman of Bayou La Batre said she's not scared of personal information getting out.
She said, "I won't give them what I don't want them to know."