Testing Locations Set For Census Workers

To conduct the 2010 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau will hire hundreds of thousands of census takers over the next two years, including several hundred in a region that includes Highlands County.

The Census Bureau is recruiting for the Address Listing operation. This is the process by which the addresses in the census records are updated. New addresses are added and ones that no longer exist are deleted, resulting in a complete list of addresses to which census forms will be mailed in early 2010.

Workers will have to pass a background check and complete a written test of basic skills, such as reading, working with numbers and interpreting information.

Testing in Highlands County in December is being held in Lake Placid, Sebring and Avon Park, with new sites being added weekly.

There will be testing Dec. 15 at 2 and 6 p.m. at the South Florida Community College Auditorium, 600 W. College Drive, Avon Park.

The Lake Placid Library, 205 W. Interlake Blvd., will be the site of testing Dec. 16 and Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. both days.

Two testing sessions - at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. - are scheduled Dec. 17 at Heartland Workforce, 2730 U.S. 27 N., Sebring.

The Census Bureau is primarily looking for US citizens, 18 years of age or older, with a valid Social Security number. In some cases, citizenship may be waived, such as when bilingual ability is required and no US citizens are available.

To contact the Census Bureau, call 1-866-861-2010 or visit them on the Internet at www.2010censusjobs.gov.