Computer Engineering Jobs Guide

Computer engineers are involved in the installation, repair and servicing of computers and associated equipment, or peripherals. They may sometimes be described as information technology (IT) hardware technicians, service engineers or computer systems engineers.

Computer engineers may perform the following tasks:

  • devise and undertake a regular service program, including support of operating systems
  • analyse problems and develop and implement solutions
  • provide input on matters associated with site preparation and installation of large computer systems
  • install cables for computer networks
  • assist staff in establishing the computer hardware and peripherals required to run IT systems
  • manage projects and supervise staff (in senior computer engineering roles).

Specialisations:

Hardware Design Engineer

A hardware design engineer plans, designs, constructs and maintains the hardware equipment of computers. They may also monitor the development of hardware according to design, and carry out repairs and testing of computer equipment and peripherals.

Network/Systems Engineer

A network/systems engineer designs, installs, analyses and implements computer systems/networks. They may also make sure that the existing network is effective, and work out how it should evolve to meet new requirements of the organisation or business.

Software Engineer

A software engineer creates, maintains and modifies computer and software programs such as operating systems, communications software, utility programs, compilers and database handlers. They may also evaluate new programming tools and techniques and analyse current software products.

Personal Requirements:

  • able to understand and communicate with a wide variety of people
  • able to work as part of a team
  • logical approach to work
  • self-reliant and able to work independently
  • active interest in maintaining personal technical skills and knowledge
  • able to investigate, identify and solve problems quickly and efficiently
  • enjoy electronics, computers and electro-mechanical equipment
  • good customer service and public contact skills.

Latest Highest Paying IT Skills 2009




Each month, ComputerJobs.com publishes a number of statistical IT reports, including its Top 25 Skills Report. This report, based on current ComputerJobs.com Web site traffic, shows the most popular IT skills according to the number of times the jobs were viewed - in other words, these are the jobs that you are looking for. Holding steady for about four months now, network security positions top the list - and not surprisingly the average maximum annual salary for these people, as posted on the actual job ads, is over $92,000.

This report also shows the highest paid positions currently on the ComputerJobs.com Web site. Again, the data reports the average maximum annual salary as most job ads contain both high and low salary points. While several of the top paying positions are director-types, many are niche networking, database and development roles.

Guide to Get a Computer Science Degree Online

If you are looking to utilize your love of computers and technology with one of the various types of computer science jobs, it is more important than ever to consider an invaluable computer science degree. Once abounding with endless job possibilities, the field has become more competitive and selective than it once was. Because of this, many positions that once only required experience now ask for at least a Bachelor’s degree in computer science. Have the upper hand over others competing for the same position by earning your online computer science degree.
ONLINE COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS

Students working towards their online computer science degree will become proficient in computer systems design, programming languages and computer science research. Your degree will also teach you skills about both the practical and theoretical programming of computers. This includes a foundation in computing skills such as Unix, software design and professional software engineering issues. This knowledge will help you to obtain entry-level computer science jobs. Students may want to consider advancing their education with specializations or advanced degrees in areas such as mathematics or systems design if they wish to work for software developers, government agencies or consulting firms.

Obtaining your degree online gives you the option of adding specialties to your degree while working with a schedule that suites them. There is no need to quit your current job or sacrifice time with your family while completing your computer science degree.
COMPUTER SCIENCE JOBS THAT WORK WITH YOUR DEGREE

Gone are the days when aspiring computer scientists had to consider starting their career in technology epicenters such as Silicon Valley. Nowadays, almost every industry employs computer scientists. Consider a career in:

* Business
* Science
* Aerospace engineering
* Higher education
* Government
* Information technology

ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE

Technology is constantly changing and keeping up with the latest systems and programming languages is vital to keeping a job in computer programming. If you already have a degree in computer science, consider continuing your education with graduate degrees or individual classes and seminars that focus on new changes in the computer science field.

US Government Failed Stimulus in Pictures: 10.2% Unemployment

When President Barack Obama was pitching his $787 billion economic stimulus package, the White House produced a report claiming their plan would keep unemployment under a peak of 8%.

Reality has not been kind to President Obama’s promises. On November 6, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Employment Situation Summary showing that the nation’s unemployment rate had soared from 9.8% to 10.2% in October. You can see how President Obama’s promises compare to reality to the right.

Reading the BLS report more closely, Heritage fellows Rea Hederman and James Sherk note:

Jobs losses in October–190,000–were higher than expected. … The unemployment rate for males is 10.7 percent while the teenage unemployment rate is 27.6 percent. These are the highest levels of unemployment for these groups since the Great Depression.

The unemployment rate increased even as 31,000 potential workers left the labor force. The labor force participation rate has now fallen to 65.1 percent–the lowest since 1986. When people reenter the labor market to find work, the unemployment rate will further increase.

Despite this ongoing deterioration in the job market, the Obama Administration continues to argue that the $800 billion stimulus bill has improved the economy. On October 30, the Administration released data claiming that the stimulus has created or saved 640,000 jobs. These claims are mistaken, as demonstrated by the 2.8 million jobs that have been lost since the stimulus became law. The Administration’s figures greatly exaggerate the positive effect of the stimulus for two reasons:

1. The data used to create these estimates contains serious flaws. The Administration provided unclear guidelines for how to report jobs created or saved. Media analyses of these jobs reports have found severe errors. For instance, the Associated Press found that two-thirds of the 15,000 jobs one agency reported creating or saving did not really exist. Rather, the agency reported workers who received raises with stimulus funding as having their jobs “saved.” In another case, a shoe store in Kentucky that provided nine pairs of boots to the Army Corps of Engineers for $889.60 reported saving nine jobs. Such errors pervade the stimulus job creation estimates.
2. A deeper problem with the Administration’s numbers is that they estimate the wrong figures. The Administration estimates the jobs directly funded by stimulus spending. However, they ignore the jobs that the money spent on the stimulus would have otherwise created. Congressional spending does not create wealth; it redistributes it. Had Congress not passed the stimulus bill, the private sector would have used those funds on other projects that would have also created jobs.

Teaching jobs at possibility of danger as Carmel battles deficit

Teaching jobs at possibility of danger as Carmel battles deficit
Carmel Clay Schools are facing a multi-million dollar deficit, putting dozens of teaching jobs in jeopardy.

The school board blames the school funding formula set out by the state as the source of their trouble. They are planning to ask for more money from property owners through a referendum.

"I would say a referendum is something many school districts around the state are going to be considering this year in light of the economy, in light of the state budget," said Carmel Clay Schools President Andrew Klein.

For the second time in a year, district Superintendent Dr. Barbara Underwood is faced with cutting teachers and staff.

"If a referendum were to pass, there would be some options for the district at that time, whether to make the cuts," Underwood said.

Without an additional source of funding, Underwood paints a grim picture of the district's financial future. She says she will have to cut one teacher from every elementary school, reduce staffing at the middle schools, eliminate summer school and cut a number of support staff. That would make up about half of the $3 million shortfall.

Adding further pressure to the budget, this is the second school year Carmel teachers have been working without a contract or raises. Four National Merit semi-finalists told the board they fear their education could be compromised without teacher involvement, which they say has dropped off.

"In the best interests of the Carmel Clay students, we ask that both sides make concessions to resolve this issue in a rapid manner," said one of the students.

A referendum could be in front of the voters in May.

Pakistan Healthcare,Finance,Computer,Accounting ,Banking , IT ,Internet Jobs

Pakistan Hospitality,Finance,Computer,Accounting ,Banking , IT ,Internet Jobs
This link from a well jobs site provide good employment.

World Jobs Forum TopicLatest PostMessages
Pakistan Accounting JobsAccounts
10/26/09 01:09 (By: Aamir)
304
Pakistan Agriculture Jobsesp-klt
10/26/09 13:50 (By: imran muhammad)
71
Pakistan Automotive JobsAutomotive Technician/engineer
10/13/09 07:11 (By: Sajjad Hussain )
49
Pakistan Banking JobsNEW JOBS IN BANK AL FALAH AND FAYSAL BANK
(By: KASHIF NAVEED)
637
Pakistan Bar Jobsrestaurant waiter
10/26/09 04:37 (By: faheem abbass)
21
Pakistan Computer JobsCOMPUTER OPERATOR JOB
10/25/09 02:26 (By: MUHAMMAD SAAD )
458
Pakistan Expat JobsPakistani Political Sci. B.A., looking for international posting
10/24/09 16:44 (By: Haroon Merchant)
12
Pakistan Finance JobsFinance officer
10/17/09 02:57 (By: mohabat ali)
123
Pakistan Healthcare JobsDOCTOR
10/25/09 20:50 (By: DR SANIA)
68
Pakistan Hospitality JobsSalam
09/27/09 06:10 (By: Adnan Ali)
57
Pakistan Hourly Jobswant to apply for a good job
10/10/09 08:12 (By: Aqsa Ayub)
21
Pakistan IT Jobs
Information Technology Jobs
GRAFFIC DESINER AND TYPING ECPEREINCE OF 1YEAR
10/25/09 11:22 (By: FAZAL)
218
Pakistan Internet JobsPlease find a job for me!
10/26/09 22:49 (By: Halima)
122
Pakistan Job Talk
Please just talk about jobs here, no resumes, no job offers
Petroleum Geologist
10/24/09 11:54 (By: waqas khalid)
23
Pakistan Management JobsHR and Mangement
10/23/09 07:43 (By: Syed Basit Ali Shah)
181
Pakistan Medical Jobslooking for job
10/15/09 00:28 (By: dr sumbla)
102
Pakistan NGO JobsApply for the NGO jobs
(By: Muhammad Hamza)
998
Pakistan Nurse Jobsnursing job
10/23/09 06:51 (By: kousar shaheen)
42
Pakistan Pharmacy JobsMSc Chemistry Inorganic/Analytical
(By: Adnan)
158
Pakistan Public Service Jobsesp-klt
10/26/09 13:57 (By: irfan muhammad)
106
Pakistan ResumeData Entry Operators Required
(By: HerbsMD)
113
Pakistan Retail Jobsneed job urgent
08/11/09 18:12 (By: zohaib iqbal)
8
Pakistan Sales JobsCall Center Job required
(By: David Fernandes)
62
Pakistan Secretarial JobsJobs Oppertunity
10/14/09 01:13 (By: Abrar Ahmad Khan)
30
Pakistan Service JobsI want to furnish my career
(By: Sana Noor)
35
Pakistan Skilled JobsD.A.E
10/19/09 02:10 (By: Shamroz)
60
Pakistan Summer Jobssoftwareengineering
09/24/09 01:39 (By: umernawab)
17
Pakistan Teaching Jobsmathematics teacher
(By: wajiha tariq)
252
Pakistan Technology Jobsjob
10/26/09 09:11 (By: mubashar)
186
Pakistan Telecom Jobsjob want
10/26/09 07:16 (By: M.sohaib jahangir)
337
Pakistan Travel JobsTravel Agecy Job
07/11/09 02:40 (By: shabbir Hussain)

MNS promises 100 pc jobs in local units to Marathis

Mumbai, Oct 11 (PTI) The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) today promised it would ensure 100 per cent jobs in local industries to Marathi people.

"We will ensure 100 per cent jobs to sons of soil," Raj said, releasing his party's manifesto for the October 13 assembly elections, at his central Mumbai residence.

The manifesto, called 'vachaknama', also speaks of strictly implementing existing norms to deport those staying illegally in the state and action against illegal constructions.

"Those coming from outside and staying here illegally should get a message that they are not welcome here," he said.

Of the 288 seats in state assembly, MNS has fielded 143 candidates.

Cree Adding Green Jobs in North Carolina

Cree expects to add 275 North Carolina jobs during 2009 to serve the expansion of LED manufacturing capacity and other staffing needs at its Durham, N.C., facility. Cree anticipates creating an additional 300 jobs by the end of 2012.

"Green jobs are a cornerstone of my vision for building a 21st century global economy in North Carolina," Gov. Bev Perdue said. "This job announcement fits perfectly with my plan to grow a world-leading green economy in North Carolina that turns green into gold for decades to come."

Cree has also begun manufacturing and assembling LED lighting products with Flextronics in Mecklenburg County, N.C. Initial products made in this facility are the ENERGY STAR(R)-qualified LR6 recessed LED downlight and award-winning LR24 LED troffer replacement.

"We are seeing tremendous growth for LED lighting," said Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda. "Energy-efficient lighting has its roots right here in North Carolina, and Cree is proud to be bringing more green jobs to our state."

Cree's industry-leading line of LED lights, including recessed downlights and troffer replacements, began North Carolina production in August 2009.

About Cree

Cree is leading the LED lighting revolution and setting the stage to obsolete the incandescent light bulb through the use of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly LED lighting. Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor solutions for backlighting, wireless and power applications.

The Cree, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3529

Cree's product families include LED fixtures and bulbs, blue and green LED chips, high-brightness LEDs, lighting-class power LEDs, power-switching devices and radio-frequency/wireless devices. Cree solutions are driving improvements in applications such as general illumination, electronic signs and signals, variable-speed motors and wireless communications.

Left unites for Super City job

The left will unite and field only one Super City mayoral candidate, giving Len Brown first chance to go for the top job ahead of rival Mike Lee.

Mr Lee has indicated he will not join the race and split the vote if Mr Brown's campaign gained traction before next year's election.

The scenario would set up what Labour insiders call their "dream team" of the pair working as mayor and deputy, with Mr Brown's wide appeal complemented by Mr Lee's technocratic grunt.

Mr Lee told the Labour conference: "I am absolutely confident there will only be one left-wing candidate".

He made the comment after being asked if the left would have the discipline to field only one candidate.

Mr Lee said this did not mean he was standing aside for Mr Brown.

Labour insiders said Mr Lee was implying that he would not enter the race if Mr Brown was doing well, but with the election still a year away did not want to rule himself out.

Insiders say Mr Lee could run for one of the ward seats, with an agreement that if he were elected Mr Brown would appoint him deputy mayor.


Relocation New Zealand
Relocating to Christchurch? Take the Smart Option. We make it easy
KiwiSmartMove.co.nz
New Zealand Car Rental
Download Unique Rental Car Gadget Get Best Avail. Rates - Guaranteed!
www.apexrentals.co.nz
New Zealand
Bus and Coach hire Economy and Luxury options
www.pavlovich.co.nz
Top Quality Gift Baskets
Delivered to the Door, Smiles and Satisfaction Guaranteed. NZ Wide
www.MyGoodness.co.nz

Mr Lee is chairman of the Auckland Regional Council, and Mr Brown is Mayor of Manukau City.

PAL union official to stop attending board meetings

LABOR PROBLEMS are threatening to complicate flag carrier Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) move to cut costs and streamline operations amid financial difficulties, with rank-and-file workers protesting supposed plans to outsource jobs and flight attendants playing hardball in collective bargaining talks.

The head of the PAL Employees’ Association (PALEA) filed an indefinite leave of absence from the airline board last August 31, protesting management moves that workers claim could displace thousands.

In a letter addressed to PAL President Jaime J. Bautista, PALEA officials said their president, Edgardo C. Oredina, would not be attending board meetings "until further notice."

"While we greatly acknowledge the importance of labor representation in the PAL board, the current directions taken by the PAL management will likely compromise the integrity of the [union] ... and [will] adversely have [an] impact on the PALEA and may result in loss of jobs," the letter, dated Aug. 31, read.

It was signed by all PALEA officers and was received by the office of Mr. Bautista last Sept. 4.

The union claims PAL management has been moving to outsource and spin-off a number of services, which could affect reservation clerks, maintenance crew, caterers, cargo handlers and load controllers.

PAL has more than 8,000 employees, half of whom belong to the rank-and-file union.

Airline officials could not be reached for comment.

"We deeply lament these drastic actions by PAL management in arresting the current situation ... While we recognize that indeed the airline industry is much affected by the global financial crisis, we are much saddened that PALEA will bear the brunt of the planned manpower rationalization program," the letter stated.

In an interview, Mr. Oredina said the spin-off and outsourcing of services was against a collective bargaining agreement, but expressed optimism that PALEA and the PAL management would be able to resolve the issue when they meet this Friday.

"The outsourcing and spin-off is unacceptable to us. We are going to present [options] to the PAL management if it is really in a dire financial need," he said.

Mr. Oredina said PALEA members were open to pay cuts through job rotations to reduce working hours. If a spinoff of operations was inevitable, the new management should absorb the employees to be affected and give them higher salaries while at the same retaining existing benefits, he said.

"Those are the best offers we can [give]," he said, adding that PALEA was prepared to go to the Department of Labor and Employment should the airline prove obstinate.

PAL was put in a similar situation more than a decade ago at the height of the Asian financial crisis. Suffering from financial woes, PAL was forced to cut flights and retrench thousands of employees.

Some of the job cuts involving over a thousand flight attendants were later ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, which ordered PAL to pay the employees compensation packages amounting to P2.5 billion.

PAL has appealed the decision while at the same time offering to settle the case with the Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (FASAP) out of court.

FASAP is said to have rejected management’s P35-million offer. The high court is expected to come out with a final ruling this month.

Late last month, FASAP issued a statement hitting PAL management for using heavy losses as an excuse to avoid obligations to workers. It said two-year-old collective bargaining talks "have turned sour."

"Sadly, despite the bitter lessons of the past, despite undergoing rehabilitation for eight years, PAL seems to once again sliding back to its old anti-labor ways," the FASAP statement said. "Why should the cabin crew pay for the company’s bungled bottomline?"

In 1998, PAL was forced go into receivership in the aftermath of the Asian crisis. It returned to profit in 2000 and was declared in financial health two years ago.

For fiscal year ending March, PAL lost $301.4 million as a result of higher expenses brought about by the cost of operating more flights and last year’s record-high fuel prices.

Revenues went up slightly to $1.6 billion but were not enough to cover operating expenses of $1.9 billion, up from $1.539 billion the previous year. Total liabilities also went up by almost a fifth to $869 million.

Burdened with debt and ballooning costs, the company is now looking at various options, including selling aircraft, reducing flights, and letting go of employees. It is also on lookout for potential white knights who can ease its financial woes. — K. J. R. Liu

Election trouble brewing for House Dems in 2010

Despite sweeping Democratic successes in the past two national elections, continuing job losses and President Barack Obama's slipping support could lead to double-digit losses for the party in next year's congressional races and may even threaten their House control.

Fifty-four new Democrats were swept into the House in 2006 and 2008, helping the party claim a decisive majority as voters soured on a Republican president and embraced Obama's message of hope and change. Many of the new Democrats are in districts carried by Republican John McCain in last year's presidential contest; others are in traditional swing districts that have proved tough for either party to hold.

From New Hampshire to Nevada, House Democrats also will be forced to defend votes on Obama's $787 billion economic recovery package and on energy legislation viewed by many as a job killer in an already weak economy.

Add to that the absence of Obama from the top of the ticket, which could reduce turnout among blacks, liberals and young people, and the likelihood of a highly motivated GOP base confused by the president's proposed health care plan and angry at what they consider reckless spending and high debt.

Taken together, it could be the most toxic environment for Democrats since 1994, when the party lost 34 House incumbents and 54 seats altogether. Democrats currently have a 256-178 edge in the House, with one vacancy. Republicans would have to pick up 40 seats to regain control.

"When you have big sweeps as Democrats did in 2006 and 2008, inevitably some weak candidates get elected. And when the environment gets even moderately challenging, a number of them are going to lose," said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College in California.

Since the mid-19th century, the party that controls the White House has lost seats in virtually every midterm election. The exceptions were in 1934, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt navigated the Great Depression, and in 2002, after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, strengthened George W. Bush's image as a leader.

With history as a guide, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who heads the party's House campaign committee, said he has warned colleagues to be prepared for an exceptionally challenging environment going into 2010.

But Van Hollen said voters will make their choices on the strength of the national economy and will reward Democrats for working aggressively to improve it.

"We passed an economic recovery bill with zero help from Republican colleagues," he said. "I think voters will see that and will ask themselves, 'Who was there to get the economy moving again, and who was standing in the way?'"

Democrats have gotten off to a much faster start than Republicans in fundraising for 2010. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had $10.2 million in the bank at the end of July, with debts of $5.3 million. The National Republican Congressional Committee had just $4 million in cash and owed $2.75 million.

The economy poses the biggest problem for Democrats, with job losses of 2.4 million nationwide since Obama took office. Despite recent signs the country is pulling out of the recession, the unemployment rate in 15 states still was in double digits in July, led by Michigan at 15 percent.

Democrats must defend as many as 60 marginal seats next year, as opposed to about 40 for Republicans. Among those, about 27 Democratic and just 13 Republican seats are seen as especially ripe for a party switch.

Some involve incumbents stepping down to run for higher office.

For example, Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Penn., is mounting a primary challenge to Sen. Arlen Specter. Sestack's seat, until then safely Democratic, now becomes a top GOP target. The same goes for Louisiana Rep. Charlie Melancon, a Democrat in a GOP-leaning district who also is seeking a Senate seat.

But Republicans are on the losing side of that equation as well. Two Republicans in heavily Democratic districts — Reps. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Joe Gerlach of Pennsylvania — are vacating their seats to run for Senate and governor, respectively.

At least one Republican is considered extremely vulnerable: Joseph Cao of Louisiana, who defeated Democrat William Jefferson after the nine-term incumbent was indicted on corruption charges. The district, which includes most of New Orleans, is considered one of the most Democratic in the country.

Beyond that, most of the closest races involve Democrats who rode the Obama tide in 2008.

They include at least four in Ohio, a perennial presidential swing state that has been battered for years by a persistently weak economy. Two represent bellwether areas: Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, whose district covers most of Columbus and its suburbs, and Rep. Steve Driehaus, whose district includes much of Cincinnati and its suburbs.

Each won with the help of a strong showing among Obama supporters, and each faces face a rematch with the candidate who narrowly lost last year.

"I don't know if Kilroy or Driehaus have any particular problems, but we have a bad economy, the president's popularity has gone down, and conservatives are aroused and angry about government spending, cap and trade and the health care plan," said John Green, a political science professor at the University of Akron.

Indeed, the "cap and trade" bill that narrowly passed the House last spring is creating headaches for several Democrats. The legislation, which would cap carbon emissions and tax industries that exceed the cap as a way to reduce global warming, is largely unpopular in areas of the country where jobs rely on oil, gas or coal production.

One Democrat most affected is New Mexico Democrat Harry Teague. His district, which McCain carried last year, is one of the largest oil and gas producing areas in the country, and Teague has faced angry crowds back home ever since voting yes.

Teague will face Republican Steve Pearce, who held the seat for three terms before giving it up to run unsuccessfully for the Senate last year.

Without Obama on the ticket, a lower predicted black turnout in 2010 could also affect Democrats in several tight races in the South. These include Reps. Bobby Bright and Parker Griffith of Alabama, Travis Childers of Mississippi, and Tom Perriello of Virginia, who won by just 745 votes last year in a district that is 24 percent black.

Concerns about Obama's health care plan and the mounting federal debt could ensnare two first-term Florida Democrats, Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas. Both represent districts along the state's competitive I-4 corridor, which is heavily populated by independent voters and retirees. Polls show Obama has lost ground among both of those demographic groups nationwide.

Jobs, Plants In Focus as Opel Cuts Loom Under Magna

Moves to save jobs and sites at carmaker Opel when a group led by Canada's Magna International takes control continued on Sunday.

U.S. carmaker General Motors agreed on Thursday to sell a 55 percent stake in its European arm, Opel, to Magna and Russia's Sberbank , finally bowing to Germany's wishes after months of intense talks. Final details are supposed to be worked out by the end of November.

The debate about which countries will suffer most job cuts has put German vows to provide 4.5 billion euros ($6.6 billion) of immediate state aid for the deal under scrutiny across Europe amid fears that workers in Germany may get preferred treatment.

The issue will be debated on Monday in the European Parliament at the request of former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, now leader of the Liberals who make up the third-largest group in the EU assembly.

EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes and Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen will attend.

Magna and its Russian partners had proposed cutting around 10,000 jobs in Europe in a drive to restore the company to profit from 2011. Half of Opel's 50,000 staff work in Germany.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung quoted a Magna spokesman as saying around 10,500 jobs would now go in all, of which 4,500 would be in Germany. Two thirds of the cuts would target assembly-line workers and the rest would be white-collar staff, it said.

Magna would not comment on the report.

Opel chairman Carl-Peter Forster told the Welt am Sonntag weekly that downsizing details still needed to be worked out.

"We tend to ask ourselves now whether we should reduce the size of plants or close more factories," he said.

"In the end we will be able to build around 1.5-1.7 million cars with 40-45,000 staff in Europe. Opel will be better positioned than many rivals after the restructuring."

He said the German plant in Bochum -- often seen as a candidate for closing even though Magna has proposed keeping all four German Opel factories open -- was "absolutely safe".

German magazine Der Spiegel said the European Commission has discovered the Antwerp plant works more efficiently than the Bochum factory in Germany, which would make it hard to justify saving the German plant if Antwerp is closed down.

Questions about state aid and labor leaders' demand for a veto over job cuts pose headaches for Magna and its Russian allies in what has become a politically fraught transaction to build loss-making Opel into a power on global car markets.

Verhofstadt told Reuters he had asked European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to ensure the deal did not favor Germany over other countries, such as Belgium and Britain, that also host plants GM plants.

WHO PAYS?

GM's decision to pick Magna over rival RHJ , a Belgian financial investor, was a political boon to Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of an election on September 27. Merkel had loudly backed Magna's bid and promised state aid to clinch it.

Other countries including Britain, Belgium and Spain are expected to contribute later to the aid, but amounts are not set while they await detail of where plants and jobs will go.

Roland Koch, premier of the German state of Hesse that hosts Opel's main plant and headquarters, told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung he expected no problems in Europe.

"I am very confident that the British and Spanish will take part in the financing," he said. "There are no differences at all with other EU countries even though of course everyone has his own interests."

Magna has said it could close the Antwerp plant in Belgium and the Luton factory in Britain if it has no luck in luring new contracts to make use of their capacity.

Opel labor opposes any forced layoffs or plant closures.

Bochum works council head Rainer Einenkel told the Welt am Sonntag paper that Opel workers, set to take a 10 percent stake in the new Opel, would insist on a big say in how things run.

"We are prepared to make a contribution worth more than a billion euros. We are demanding in return a veto right over job cuts, transfer of production or plant closures," he said.

This stance had been agreed with other Opel labor leaders and would be in line with the influence labor has at Germany's Volkswagen , Europe's biggest carmaker, he said.

300,000 Pinoys get jobs from CLEEP

More than 300,000 Filipinos have been given jobs since the government’s emergency employment program was launched in October last year, Malacañang said yesterday.

In his latest twice-a-week report to President Arroyo, Secretary Domingo Panganiban of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, said CLEEP (Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program) had generated 153,887 new jobs or 60.69 percent of the targeted 253,550 jobs for 304,933 individuals or 66.25 percent of the targeted 460,280 individuals nationwide.

The CLEEP used P7.3 billion of the P13.7 billion allocated by national agencies for the program, he added.

Panganiban said the Department of Agriculture generated the most number of new jobs at 89,518, followed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources at 65,377.

“The DA has so far been the biggest investor, obligating more than P5 million to the effort, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways with P838 million,” he said.

In a statement, Malacañang said at the height of the global economic slump, Mrs. Arroyo assigned each cabinet secretary as steward to a specific region to ensure and oversee an emergency jobs program.

“Intended beneficiaries were the poor, returning expatriates, workers in the export industry, and out-of-school youths threatened or hurt by reduced or lost income as a consequence of the economic crisis,” read the statement.

“As implemented, CLEEP has created as many jobs as possible in the least possible amount of time for the poor through investments in public works and enterprise development.

“These has included ‘green jobs’ such as forest patrolling, rehabilitating areas prone to or damaged by flood, and replanting denuded areas.”

Malacañang said the new jobs have helped improve the country’s infrastructure, pushed the growth of rural enterprise, improved public health care and food security, and stimulated private investments.

“Through CLEEP, marginalized people have also been able to engage in livelihood activities like raising and dispersing swine and other farm animals, producing fishnets, culturing fish and seaweeds, growing vegetables and operating sari-sari stores,” read the statement.

Job hunting? This week’s most intriguing offers

Labor Day was fun, but many of us now prefer workdays to days off – especially if we get a few too many extra.

That’s because the US unemployment rate is now creeping uncomfortably close to double-digits. Since we’d like to see that turn around, Monitor staffers search the job listings looking for interesting places to work. The most intriguing jobs we found this week are in Fort Smith, Ark.; Seattle; Long Island, Kan.; Edinburg, Texas; Clinton, Ill.; and Salt Lake City.

Like bugs? Read on.

1. All-purpose cowboy
Employer: Valley Feeds
Wages/salary: Not listed.
Details: Needed for cow/calf work; horses provided, or can bring own. (For more information click here.)
Location: In Long Island, Kan., (pop. 155, median family income $32,321) the library offers children’s books, periodicals, and cake pan rentals.

2. Fish-hatchery technician
Employer: University of Washington
Wages/salary: $11.13 to $14.32 an hour.
Details: Capture and handle adult salmon; prior fish handling experience desired, preferably a student of aquatic and fishery sciences, oceanography, or similar background; must be able to get wet and be covered with fish slime. (For more information click here.)
Location: Seattle (pop. 565,809, median family income $81,355) and Minneapolis were America’s most literate cities in 2008, according to a survey by Central Connecticut State University.

3. Freelance gold designer
Employer: JBSstyle
Wages/salary: $30 to $45 an hour
Details: Bachelor’s degree and minimum of three years of fine jewelry design experience required. (For more information click here.)
Location: N/A

4. Inserter
Employer: Not listed
Wages/salary: Not listed.
Details: Must be able to lift 30 pounds, stand, and bend in loud environment. (For more information click here.)
Location: Fort Smith, Ark., (pop. 85,716, median family income $ 45,466) is the second biggest city in the state.

5. Insect production worker
Employer: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Wages/salary: $14 to $16 an hour
Details: Place insect food and eggs into larval rearing containers; collect emerging adults from emergence traps; chill and measure desired numbers of insects for culture maintenance and shipment of irradiated adults. (For more information click here.)
Location: Edinburg, Texas (pop. 48,465, median family income $30,634) has 40 acres of wetlands and boasts of some of the best bird-watching in the US.

6. Soy data analyst
Employer: Syngenta
Wages/salary: Not listed
Details: Work under direction of Soybean Data Manager; periods of intense work at critical times of year (planting, pollinating, and harvesting). (For more information click here.)
Location: Clinton, Ill., (pop. 7,485, median family income $48,024) is in DeWitt County and is named for DeWitt Clinton, a 19th century governor of New York.

7. Tire buster
Employer: Not listed.
Wages/salary: $9 to $12 an hour
Details: Bust tires, assist mechanics; must be able to lift 50 pounds; bilingual English and Spanish preferred. (For more information click here.)
Location: Salt Lake City (pop. 181,743, median family income $45,140) was originally “Great Salt Lake City.” It was shortened in 1868.

8. Hog buyer
Employer: Southern Minnesota-based company
Wages/salary: $28,000
Details: Must have hog production experience and know appropriate hog handling. (For more information click here.)
Location: Not listed.

US job,openings fall to lowest level in 9 years

Job openings fell to the lowest level in nine years in July, according to a Labor Department report Wednesday, as US businesses remain reluctant to hire despite signs the economy is improving.

The department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey, or JOLTS report, found that businesses and government advertised 2.4 million open positions on the last day in July, down from 2.5 million in June. That's also the fewest openings since the department began compiling the data in December 2000.

Still, jobs are being added in some sectors, as companies seek more health care and technology workers.

The report underscores the tough competition that jobless Americans face. With 14.5 million unemployed people in July and only 2.4 million openings, that means there were six unemployed people, on average, for every job opening.

The report also adds to evidence that companies likely will wait until the economy is clearly recovering before hiring new employees. Many analysts believe the economy is likely to grow at a healthy 3 per cent rate in the second half of this year, pulling the country out of the worst recession since the 1930s.

But they also worry that the growth will be difficult to sustain, particularly once government stimulus measures, such as the Cash for Clunkers program that ended last month, are no longer in effect.

To be sure, there are some signs that hiring is slowly resuming. About one-third of both manufacturing and service sector companies plan to add jobs in September, according to a survey. That's the highest combined total for the two sectors since October 2008, the group said. - AP

Job injuries worse after Daylight Saving shift

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – When the clock "springs forward" an hour for Daylight Saving Time, on-the-job injuries may follow, according to a new study in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

"On that day when you lose an hour of clock time, people lose about 40 minutes of sleep," said Dr. Christopher M. Barnes, who conducted the research with Dr. David T. Wagner while both were PhD students at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "That lost sleep seems to increase their risk for injury."

Daylight Saving Time-now observed by 74 countries around the world-could have an effect on worker safety, Barnes and Wagner note in their report, given the potential for lost sleep. But evidence on its effects on accidents in general, they add, has been mixed.

To get a better sense of how these changes might influence the risk of injury on the job, they looked at data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for mining injuries from 1983 to 2006.

On Mondays after the switch to Daylight Saving Time, they found, there were an average of 3.6 more injuries compared to other days, a 5.7% increase. Injuries on these days led to 2,649 more days of work lost per year, compared to injuries that didn't happen after the time shift, representing an approximately 68% increase. But switching back from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time and gaining an hour didn't affect injury frequency or severity.

In the second part of the study, the researchers analyzed data for 2004 to 2006 from the American Time Use Survey, in which people report their activity minute-by-minute for the previous day. They looked at the 14,310 interviews of working people to examine whether Daylight Saving Time influenced how much they slept.

On average, after losing an hour, people slept 40 minutes less, the researchers found. But gaining an hour had no effect on sleep duration.

The advantage of studying miners, noted Barnes, is that they always work in artificial light, so changes in the duration of daylight don't affect them at the workplace. "It was a nice way to conduct a little bit cleaner science than what has been done in the past," Barnes, who is now at the US Military Academy at West Point, told Reuters Health.

Barnes said he and Wagner, now at Singapore Management University, don't suggest getting rid of Daylight Saving Time, because it has important advantages. Nevertheless, Barnes added, it's important, at the very least, to let workers know of the possible increased injury risk following the time shift.

"If we just let these workers face the extended risk without even telling them that that's going on, I think that's sort of an unethical way to proceed," he said.

Barnes and Wagner suggest a few ways to cope with the change: Start work a half-hour later for a couple of days after the move to Daylight Saving Time, or have more safety monitors on the job on those days.

It might also make sense to avoid scheduling particularly dangerous or demanding tasks for these days, Barnes added. "If you have that flexibility to bump a certain task by a single day, that might help prevent some pretty important accidents and injuries and other sorts of problems."


Accounting Resume Sample

RICHARD ANDERSON
1234, West 67 Street,
Carlisle, MA 01741,
(123)-456 7890.

OBJECTIVE:

Seeking a position as an Accounting Assistant where extensive experience will be further developed and utilised.
CAREER PROFILE:

* Detail-oriented, efficient and organized professional with extensive experience in accounting systems.
* Possess strong analytical and problem solving skills, with the ability to make well thought out decisions.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Highly trustworthy, discreet and ethical.
* Resourceful in the completion of projects, effective at multi-tasking.

EXPERIENCE:
Glen Dara Construction Co., Cambridge, MA 2000 – Present
Accounting Assistant

* Performed accounts payable functions for construction expenses.
* Managed vendor accounts, generating weekly on demand cheques.
* Managed financial departments with responsibility for Budgets, Forecasting, Payroll, Accounts Payable and Receivable.
* Created budgets and forecasts for the management group.
* Ensured compliance with accounting deadlines.
* Prepared company accounts and tax returns for audit.
* Coordinated monthly payroll functions for 200+ employees.
* Liased with bankers, insurers and solicitors regarding financial transactions.

Stonepark Web Design Inc., Boston, MA 1997 – 2000
Accounting Assistant

* Managed accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll departments.
* Generated budgets and forecasts on a quarterly basis and presented to the management team.
* Reported on variances in quarterly costing reports.
* Prepared annual company accounts and reports.
* Administered online banking functions.
* Reduced credit period from 90 days to 60 days.
* Managed payroll function for 140 employees.
* Monitored and recorded company expenses.

Lancer Industries, Copley, Boston, MA 1995 – 1997
Administrative Assistant

* Performed general office duties and administrative tasks.
* Prepared weekly confidential sales reports for presentation to management.
* Managed the internal and external mail functions.
* Provided telephone support.
* Scheduled client appointments and maintained up-to-date confidential client files.

EDUCATION:
BS in Computer Science:
Boston College, Boston, MA 1999 – 2001

BS in Accounting
Boston University, Boston, MA 1992 – 1995

COMPUTER SKILLS:
Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook Express, Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Office XP Professional.

Resume Writing Guide

Writing a resume is easier said than done. There are many things you need to keep in mind while writing resume like what format should you use, how to frame the right object to suite new job's description. You need to create a resume that actually generates results.

What is a resume?
Resume is a self-promotional document that presents you in the best possible light, for the purpose of getting invited to a job interview. It's not an official personnel document. It's not a job application. It's not a "career obituary"! And it's not a confessional.
What should the resume content be about?
It's not just about past jobs! It's about YOU, and how you performed and what you accomplished in those past jobs--especially those accomplishments that are most relevant to the work you want to do next. A good resume predicts how you might perform in that desired future job.

Why your resume is important?
It's the first meeting between you and a prospective employer. First impressions are lasting ones. Well, your resume is the first meeting between you and a prospective employer more often now than ever. So, how do you want to be remembered? Wrinkled and unorganized or Neat and structured. Long and boring or Precise and interesting.
Main purpose of resume writing
Your resume is a tool with one specific purpose: to win an interview. A resume is an advertisement, nothing more, nothing less. A great resume doesn't just tell them what you have done but makes the same assertion that all good ads do.
What resume writing isn't?
It is a mistake to think of your resume as a history of your past, as a personal statement or as some sort of self expression.
Focus on the employer's needs and not yours
Employer is not much interested in your needs but in company's. Ask yourself, what would make a perfect candidate for this job. What does the employer really want and need? What special abilities would this person have? What would set a truly exceptional candidate apart from a merely good one?
Great resumes has two sections
In the first, you make assertions about your abilities, qualities and achievements. You write powerful, but honest, advertising copy that makes the reader immediately perk up and realize that you are someone special.

The second section, the evidence section, is where you back up your assertions with evidence that you actually did what you said you did. This is where you list and describe the jobs you have held, your education, etc.
Objective of Resume Writing
Your resume should be pointed toward conveying why you are the perfect candidate for one specific objective or job title. Good advertising is directed toward a very specific objective.

Fast-Food Chains In For Job-Loss Pain

Continuing job losses spell bad news for the entire restaurant industry, as consumers become more reluctant to spend, but some analysts say fast-food chains may be in for an extra helping of pain.

More so than sit-down eateries, fast-food restaurants cater to customers steeped in routine, whether they're picking up an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's Corp. (MCD) for breakfast on the way to work or downing a Burger King Holdings Corp. (BKC) Whopper sandwich during a lunch break. As those customers lose jobs, routines are shucked as those once reliable diners stay at home.

"There's a lot of folks that had a pattern of driving to the office, factory or plant who aren't doing that anymore," said Morgan Keegan & Co. analyst Robert Derrington.

Job losses are slowing, with Wednesday's Automatic Data Processing and Macroeconomic Advisers reporting the private sector shed 532,000 jobs in May, fewer than economists had expected. That's still over half-a-million people no longer making their commutes, creating a dreary employment picture and one factor restraining shares of fast-food chains this year.

Burger King and Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (WEN) are two of the worst- performing chains among restaurant companies so far this year, with shares down 29.6% and 18%, respectively. Both companies are struggling as they lose market share to category leader McDonald's, whose shares have lost a modest 2.2% so far this year.

The fast-food chains' share-price performance comes as their casual-dining counterparts are rallying, many off multi-year lows.

Operators of full-service restaurants, which include Brinker International Inc. (EAT) and DineEquity Inc. (DIN), felt the sting of job losses first, as consumers pared back higher-priced meals. Now that sales and traffic in their dining category have stabilized, fast-food is beginning to suffer, seeing its first quarterly traffic decline since 2003.

Fast-food operators are responding with value, with Burger King most recently starting to promote value items more heavily several months earlier than anticipated.

"In their defense, they have more robust value and dollar menus, which could protect them in this environment," Telsey Advisory Group restaurant analyst Tom Forte said

Bernanke warns of 'sizeable job losses' in coming months

US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S Bernanke today warned that there could be more job losses in the next few months.
The Fed Chief also said that tight credit conditions continue to restrain economic activity even as he expressed hope of the economy to turn up later in the year.

Reflecting the gloom in the labour market, Bernanke pointed out that recent data shows that "sizeable job losses and further increases in unemployment are likely over the next few months".

The statement came on the day when the ADP National Employment Report revealed that 5,32,000 jobs were slashed by private American companies in May, much more than widely expected.

The US economy has seen nearly 6 million job losses since the beginning of 2008.

"...Financial markets and financial institutions remain under stress, and low asset prices and tight credit conditions continue to restrain economic activity," the Fed Chief said in a testimony before the US House of Representatives.

However, he noted that the government anticipate overall economic activity to bottom out, and then to turn up later this year.

Stocks fall on Wall Street as US job losses continue to mount

Economically sensitive sectors have led stocks on Wall Street into their first decline in five days as mixed signals on jobs and service-sector activity weighed on investor sentiment and extended a worldwide slump in shares.

US employers cut more jobs than forecast and the S&P 500 Index traded at the most expensive in eight months.

Aetna, the third-largest US health insurer, dropped 5.3% on a reduced 2009 earnings outlook. Valero Energy tumbled 17% after forecasting a second-quarter loss and saying it will sell shares.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which rose in the previous four sessions, is down 101.39 points, or 1.2 %, at 8639.48, slipping below its year's high. The S&P 500 is off 1.7% at 928.57, hurt by declines in every sector. The weakest were energy, down 4.1%; basic materials down 4.2%; and industrials, off 2.3%.

Also weighing on energy companies, oil futures slipped $US2.91 to $US65.64 a barrel after data showing a rise in US stockpiles of crude. Oil's declined helped to push the Dow Jones-UBS Commodity Index down 2%.

Canadian stocks fell for a second day, led by energy and material producers, as a commodity rally that had pushed the main equity index to its best month since 1999 stalled.

Suncor Energy and EnCana fell more than 4%. Goldcorp, the world’s second-largest bullion producer, declined 3.9%.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index is down 239.22, or 2.3%, to 10,349.57.

European stocks slid the most in three weeks as investors speculated a three-month rally has outpaced expectations for earnings and economic growth.

Gross domestic product in Europe contracted 2.5% from the fourth quarter, matching an initial estimate and the most since the data were first compiled in 1995, the European Union’s statistics office in Luxembourg said today.

European household consumption shrank 0.5%, while exports slid 8.1% and imports declined 7.2%, all the most since the series started in 1995. Investment spending fell 4.2%, after a 4.3% contraction in the previous quarter that was also the sharpest since 1995.

Bouygues posted the biggest drop in six months after the French builder and mobile-phone operator said net income sank 29%.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index slipped 2% to 209.94, the steepest decline since May 13.

National benchmark indexes fell in all of the 18 western European markets except Ireland. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 lost 2.1% and

UK stocks declined the most in almost two weeks, led by mining and oil companies as base metals and crude prices declined.

Vedanta Resources, Xstrata and Anglo American tumbled more than 6% as copper retreated from a seven- month high. BG Group lost 2.9% amid concern Brazil may limit exploration of promising oil discoveries. Barclays dropped 5%, extending Tuesday’s sell off after Abu Dhabi investors sold part of their stake.

The FTSE 100 Index lost 2.1% to 4,383.42, the most since May 21..

Germany’s DAX Index fell 1.7% to 5054.53, trimming its rebound from this year’s lows to 38%.

Salzgitter slumped 5.7% after UBS cut its recommendation for Germany’s second-largest steelmaker. BMW and Daimler, the world’s biggest luxury-car makers, retreated on lower US car sales in May.

France’s CAC 40 Index lost 2%, to 3309.65, the biggest loss in almost two weeks.

Commodities: Oil, gold down

Crude oil fell the most in six weeks after a government report showed US supplies unexpectedly increased as fuel consumption plunged to a 10-year low.

Inventories climbed 2.9 million barrels to 366 million in the week ended May 29.

Crude oil for July delivery fell $US2.95, or 4.3%, to $US65.60 a barrel in New York. Futures dropped as much as $US3.60, or 5.3%, the biggest drop since April 20.

Gold fell the most in almost two months as a rebounding dollar curbed demand for the metal as an alternative investment. Silver also declined.

Gold futures for August delivery lost $US18.30, or 1.9%, to $US966.10 an ounce in New York, the steepest drop since April 6.

Currencies: Dollar up, pound down

The US dollar rose against the euro for the first time in five days on speculation an economic recovery will be too weak to sustain gains in higher-yielding assets such as stocks, encouraging demand for safety.

The greenback climbed against almost all of the most-traded currencies and the euro weakened as the contraction in the 16- nation economy deepened in the first quarter.

The pound dropped the most against the dollar in six weeks on bets a three-month rally in European stocks outpaced expectations for earnings and economic growth.

The dollar climbed 1.2% to $US1.4132 per euro and traded at ¥95.69. The euro fell 1.1% to ¥135.43.

The pound depreciated as much as 1.8% to $US1.6283, the biggest intraday drop since April 22.

The Canadian dollar tumbled from near the strongest level in eight months as oil fell for a second day as the US dollar rose.

Alan Johnson says Brown right man for job

The minister tipped as a possible successor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday that Brown was the best man for the job, despite a wave of government resignations that have shaken his government.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson, a former postman and union leader, praised Brown's "courage" and "tenacity" in the face of tough questioning by opposition politicians in parliament earlier on Wednesday.

"He is doing the job, he is doing it under difficult circumstances," Johnson said. "There is absolutely no one that could do that job better."

Asked by a TV reporter if he could do a better job as prime minister than Brown, Johnson replied "No" before walking off.

The resignation of two Cabinet ministers has reignited speculation over Brown's future as prime minister and leader of the Labour Party, trailing by up to 20 points before a parliamentary election due within a year.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears announced their decision to quit before local and European elections on Thursday.

Both were caught up in a scandal over MPs' expenses claims for things like plasma screen televisions, bathplugs and home loan repayments.

Voters have reacted with fury to weeks of disclosures about the use of taxpayers' money. All three main political parties have lost public support in the opinion polls.

Johnson was narrowly beaten for the post of Labour Party deputy leader by Harriet Harman in a vote in June 2007.A former supermarket shelf-stacker, Johnson is seen as an affable, down-to-earth figure who could help Labour reconnect with its traditional working class supporters.

Job Opportunities with NCR

You might have heard the news about Fortune 500 company NCR’s upcoming move to Georgia. If you’re looking for a job, there may be an opportunity for you, as long as you don’t mind moving to Duluth or Columbus.

The State Department of Labor has issued a statement explaining how applicants can be considered for the opportunities.

While the company will be moving its global headquarters to the Atlanta suburb of Duluth, many of its top employees are expected to make the move with the company from Dayton, Ohio. The majority of the jobs being created will be in its new production facility in Columbus.

The ATM manufacturing facility is expected to create 870 professional and production jobs, and the DOL has begun the recruitment process by accepting applicants for the first 26 positions online. A job fair for 53 production jobs, including material handlers and assemblers, will be held on June 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Columbus Career Center.

State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said the news of the move is a big boost for the state.

“NCR’s decision to expand its operations in Georgia is great news for our state’s job seekers,” said Thurmond. “The Georgia Department of Labor is working to ensure that every interested Georgian has an opportunity to apply for a job with this company. We are working closely with the company, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Quickstart, Columbus Technical College, and our other workforce partners to help make this a successful venture for all.”

The professional positions include:

Job Order Position
7776779 SLM Manager
7776788 Manufacturing Engineering Manager
7776790 IT Operations Manager
7776797 Logistics Materials Manager
7776805 Manufacturing Manager
7776819 Buyer Supervisor
7776827 Finance Manager
7776837 Manufacturing Quality Manager
7776845 Supplier Engineer (II)

To complete a referral form, go online to www.ncr.com, or go directly to http://www.dol.state.ga.us/js/job_info_system.htm and at the bottom of the page type in the job order number for the position of interest. The department will refer all applicants who meet NCR’s qualifications to the company, which will decide which applicants to interview and contact them to schedule an appointment. Applicants without Internet access can complete a referral form at any of the labor department’s 53 career centers throughout the state.

Labour chief warns of eight-year global 'jobs crisis'

A global "jobs crisis" caused by the economic downturn could last for up to eight years, International Labour Organisation chief Juan Somavia said Wednesday.

Somavia said at the opening of the UN labour agency's annual conference that about 300 million new jobs would be needed up to 2015 just to keep up with the natural growth in the global labour force.

"There are early and welcome signs that the downturn may be losing speed," the ILO Director General said.

But economic conditions were still fragile and most analysts were predicting a slow recovery, he added.

"All of this put together means that the world may be looking at a jobs and social protection crisis of six to eight years duration," Somavia told the conference of government, labour and employers representatives.

"Not enough attention has been paid by political leaders to the human and social implications of this lag."

Somavia has been urging world leaders to specifically target job creation alongside other measures they have taken to stimulate the economy and credit markets.

The ILO chief was promoting his Global Jobs Pact, a loose collection of voluntary job creation or support measures and minimum labour protection that countries could adopt piecemeal according to their circumstances.

The 16-day conference is due to hold a keynote "Jobs Summit" starting June 15 with Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner, her Brazilian counterpart Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Poland's Lech Kaczynski.

Lloyds Banking Cuts Another 510 Jobs

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG) said Wednesday it is cutting around 510 permanent roles across the retail business in the U.K.
The bank attributed the job cuts to the Chatham retail customer service's closure by the end of the year, as well as other jobs cut in regulated sales, mortgages and network support. In total, 530 people in full- or part-time positions will be affected by the cuts.
Lloyds said it prefers to use "natural turnover and to redeploy people wherever possible."
If people have to leave the company, Lloyds said it hopes to achieve this by voluntary severance and making less use of contractors. "Compulsory redundancies will be a last resort."
"These latest job losses are yet another example of the weekly hammering that the workforce of the bank is having to endure," national officer for the labor union Unite, Rob MacGregor, said in a statement.
"We have already seen over 2,400 job losses announced by the bank since its formation in January. Unite has made it plain that the union won't accept a situation where the LBG makes weekly announcements of hundreds of job losses," MacGregor added.
Lloyds acquired troubled mortgage lender HBOS in January this year, creating a bank with the U.K.'s largest market share in among others current accounts and mortgage lending.
The combined bank has about 140,000 employees, split about 50-50 between the two banks.
Company Web site: www.lloydsbankinggroup.com

532,000 May job cuts ADP reports

Although there have been signs that the economy is improving, employers still appear to be focused on cost-cutting.

Payroll firm ADP reported Wednesday that companies in the U.S. cut an estimated 532,000 workers from payrolls last month. ADP also revised higher its estimate of cuts in April to 545,000 from the previous estimate of 491,000.

The ADP report noted losses across all sizes and categories of businesses with large business payrolls declining 100,000, medium businesses shedding 223,000 jobs and small businesses cutting 209,000 employees. The goods-producing sector lost 267,000 jobs while the service-producing sector declined by 265,000 positions.

The Labor Department is due to release its jobs report on Friday. The average analyst estimate for that report of government as well as private payrolls is a loss of 520,000 payroll positions and an increase in the unemployment rate to 9.2 percent from April’s rate of 8.9 percent.

On Monday, The Institute for Supply Management announced that its factory index rose to the highest level since last September as new orders posted their first gain since the recession began. On Tuesday the National Association of Realtors reported that pending sales of existing homes, or contracts signed but not closed, rose 6.7 percent in April, the largest increase in six years.

International Cruise Services

We have recieved a number of emails from jobseekers who reported International Cruise Services (based in Glasgow, UK) as another cruise ship employment scam to us.

We approached them in February 2009 and here is their response:

...

We charge a one off fee of 35 GBP for the cruise ship career guide and also newsletters containing all the current ships, changes of addresses of companies and general information about where to obtain vacancies. Which is sent to people who register free of charge for two years. We have been in business since l989 and have been approved by the Department of Trade and Industry who have been in our offices and are perfectly happy with way we operate.

At no time do we say in any of our literature that they pay to get a job. If you look at our web site - click on International Cruise Services button you will see that we clearly explain our services.
...

After a brief investigation we came to the following conclusions:

International Cruise Services is not what we would class as employment scam. However, their website (www.cruiseservices.co.uk) is misleading since they don't make it clear that they do not recruit staff but sell information packs and email newsletters.

International Cruise Services advertise a lot of jobs on various online job boards. However, they don't recruit staff for cruise lines and therefore these positions don't exist. It is illegal in the United Kingdom to advertise non-existing jobs.

We think some jobseekers might find their services useful. Having said that, most information that International Cruise Services sell for 35 GBP (approximatelly 50 USD) can be found elsewhere on the Internet for free.

Cruise Ship Job Scams

Employment scams tend to have the following features:

* Jobs are advertised on free websites. Scammers don't like to pay to advertise jobs that don't exist.
* Scammers send emails from free email accounts such as Yahoo, Gmail, ZZN, Hotmail, etc.
* All correspodence from scammers is in poor English and very unprofessional (e.g. saying "God bless you" at the end, etc.)
* Be extremely careful when dealing with someone pretending to be a recruiter from Ghana or Malaysia. There are known scam schemes operating from these countries. They change thier names on weekly basis.
* Some scammers claim to have branches or headquarters in the "Western World", e.g. in the USA, Canada, or United Kingdom. However, addresses and telephone numbers they provide do not exist.
* Most cruise ship job scammers don't charge admin fees. You get a job offer for free. You just need to pay for visa, lawyer fees, etc. Don't pay, the job offer is fake, you'll lose your money.
* Remember, sending money via MoneyGram or Western Union isn't safe. Savings of too many good people ended up in fraudsters' pockets.

Getting a job on a cruise ship is a very difficult and lengthy process. If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely isn't true!
Known Employment Scams

Following is a list of known fictitious companies that pretend to be legitimate agencies for employment on cruise ships:

* Aftermath Shipping GH Ltd (Ghana)
* Agora Global Holdings (Malaysia)
* Ausi Cruise Line (Malaysia)
* Australasian Cruise Line International (Malaysia)
* Avalon Cruise Services (Canada)
* Baltic Tourist Shipping Line (Ghana, United Kingdom)
* Blue Sea Shipping Company (Ghana)
* Canadian Cruise Shipping (Canada and Malaysia)
* Capt. Dorris Morgan (dorrismorganfamily@googlemail.com) - pretending to be from Amble Boat Company (United Kingdom)
* Capt. David Phillip (capt.davidphil@gmail.com) - pretending to be from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
* Captains Shipping Line (Ghana)
* Cool Jobs At Sea (Oceana International) (Canada)
* Crown Cruise Liners, Crown Cruiseliners International (Malaysia)
* Cruise Canadian Line (Malaysia)
* Cruise Careers (Wyoming Canada)
* Cruise International (New Brunswick Canada)
* Cruise Services International (United Kingdom)
* Cruise Ship Centers International (San Francisco USA)
* Cruise Shipping Line (Canada)
* Crystal Cruise Line (www.crystalcrline.com) - not to be mistaken for Crystal Cruises (www.crystalcruises.com)
* Cuise Ship Service Line Canada (Canada, Malaysia)
* Cruiseship Global Canada, Cruise Ship Global Canada (Canada, Malaysia)
* CruiseQueenliner Cruise Queenliner (Malaysia)
* CTG Group London, Capt Terry Smith (United Kingdom) - not to be mistaken for CTI Group
* Dolphin Ship Management (San Marino)
* Express Cruise Tourist Shipping Lines (Canada, Malaysia)
* Express Cruises and Shipping Company, M.V.Custavia (Ghana, United Kingdom, Australia)
* Fleewing International (California USA)
* Fresh Princess Cruises UK Limited (United Kingdom)
* Frontline Consulting London (Ghana, United Kingom)
* Geoluxary Cruise Lines Int., Geoluxury Cruise Lines (Malaysia)
* Global Arrow Shipping Line (Ghana, United Kingdom)
* Global Cruise Shipping Services (Canada, USA)
* Global Cruise Lines International
* Global Sea Shipping Line (Scotland, Ghana)
* Greenline Consults (Roland Botson, Mark Kyle) (Ghana, United Kingdom)
* Hawks Marine Cruises International (Canada)
* Highsea Shipping Line (Scotland, Ghana)
* Infinity Cruise Lines International (Malaysia)
* Intercontinental Spirit Ship (Ghana)
* Intercontinental Cruises Company London (Ghana, United Kingdom)
* International Cruise Ship Recruiters
* International Transition Abroad - The New Era (South Africa, United Kingdom, USA)
* Ivory Arrow Shipping (Ghana, United Kingdom)
* Jdak Cruises and Shipping (Ghana)
* K-shipping, Kingdom Shipping GH Ltd (Ghana)
* Malaysia Crystal Cruises (Malaysia, United Kingdom)
* Marks and Silogar Consulting (United Kingdom, Ghana)
* Maydott Cruiseline International (Malaysia)
* Midway Cruise Company
* Mutus Cruises (Malaysia)
* Natra Cruising Company (Ghana)
* New World Cruise Ship Employment Agency (Canada)
* Ocean Village Cruises (Malaysia)
* Oceana International (Canada)
* Oceania Cruise Line, Oceania Cruise Company (oceania-cruises.org, Malaysia, United Kingdom)
* Pacific International Shipping Line (United Kingdom, Ghana)
* Pan American Cruise Corporation (Berverly Hills USA)
* Pandayan Sevenseas Manpower Recruitment Services (India)
* Pentagon Cruise (Malaysia)
* Princess Mariana Company
*
* Royal Cruiseliner, Royal Cruise Liner, Royal Cruise Line Inc. (Malaysia, Canada)
* Royal Festival Cruises International
* Royal Ocean Village Cruise International (Malaysia, United Kingdom)
* Salsa Cruise (Malaysia)
* San Marino Shipping (San Marino)
* Sea Wave Cruise Liner (Malaysia)
* Sealink Shipping Company Limited (United Kingdom, Ghana)
* Seek Work Consulting (United Kingdom, Ghana)
* Shipping Planet (Malaysia)
* Skylines Cruise International (Malaysia)
* Starcruise (Malaysia)
* Starline Cruises (Malaysia)
* The New Era - International Transition Abroad (South Africa, United Kingdom, USA)
* Touchline Marine Cruises International (Canada, Malaysia)
* Transways Logistics (Malaysia)
* Velta Express Shipping Line (Ghana, United Kingdom)
* Vigo Cruises (Malaysia)
* World Cruize (Malaysia, United Kingdom)
* Xprex Shipping Company Limited UK (Bristol, United Kingdom)

Read more about International Cruise Services from Glasgow, United Kingdom.

All of the above scammers charge upfront fees or fees for visas and work permits. They have been repeatedly reported to fail to find any employment for their victims.

If you come accross any of the above names, please do not send them any money.

If you know of any other cruise ship job scams, please let us know. Thank you.

Building your career

Your career: A lifelong journey

Your career is something much larger than a job or an occupation. Your career is the variety of experiences of learning and work (both unpaid and paid) that you undertake throughout your lifetime.

Career: the sum total of paid and unpaid work, learning and life roles you undertake throughout your life.
Occupation: a group of similar jobs found in different industries or organisations.
Job: a position in which you perform tasks for payment.

Our careers are influenced by many things, such as our interests, our age, our education, our families and our cultural values, most of which change over time. In the 21st century, very few people will have a job or an occupation for life. You can expect to make several changes throughout your career.

It’s up to you to actively manage the process of building your career, rather than just letting it happen. You will need to plan and manage your lifelong career journey. You are the person best suited to make choices on the basis of your own skills, knowledge and interests. But as you get started, remember that you won’t be alone. Be open to those who can help and support you along the way, and offer your help and support to others as well.

Learning pathways

What is a learning pathway?

Your learning pathway is the way you navigate your learning, skill development and life experiences through the links between education and training, and community and personal life.

There are many learning pathways you can take on your way to any employment destination and yours will be unique to you. Your learning pathway may consist of employment-based training, such as an Australian Apprenticeship (known as an apprenticeship or traineeship in some states and territories), volunteering, entry-level work, further study and job advancement.

Throughout your career, the choices you make between different jobs, courses and roles in your community all guide you on your learning pathway. To understand where your choices can take you, it is a good idea to learn about:

  • the types of learning experiences available
  • where learning takes place
  • how to link different types of learning.

Australian Apprenticeships

What are Australian Apprenticeships?

Australian Apprenticeships (often referred to as traineeships and apprenticeships) are a great career option. They combine practical work with structured training to give you a nationally recognised qualification and the experience you need to get the job you want. Training is flexible and can be on-the-job, off-the-job or a combination of both. Australian Apprenticeships are available at a variety of qualification levels in most occupations, including traditional trades and a wide range of emerging industry sectors.

You do not have to wait until you leave school to get started. Australian School-based Apprenticeships are now offered by many schools, giving students the option of starting one while still at school.

VET in Schools

What is VET in Schools?

‘VET in Schools’ refers to Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Schools courses undertaken as part of a senior secondary certificate. VET in Schools courses allow you to earn credit towards a recognised VET qualification, while you complete the general education curriculum for your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE).

With VET in Schools, you can:

  • combine a vocational pathway with your SSCE studies
  • work towards a certificate I, II or III, or sometimes even a certificate IV qualification
  • keep your options open to pursue further vocational education (such as courses at a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) ins

Study, work and career support

Meeting the costs of study

Most courses involve some cost. Costs vary from institution to institution and are usually related to the level and length of the course and the field of study. Contact the institution of your choice to ask about their fees and charges. If possible, compare these fees and charges with those charged by other institutions before you make your decision.

You will need to find out how much you will pay for tuition fees, service fees and additional costs.

Tuition fees

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

TAFE institutes

Most TAFE places are subsidised by the state or territory government. Tuition fees are calculated on an hourly basis, and the minimum and maximum amount that you will pay per year is set by the government. These amounts vary from state to state. A full-time TAFE student in a government-subsidised place will generally pay somewhere between $600 and $2000 per year.

Fees usually have to be paid ‘up front’ (when you enrol), but you may be able to negotiate part-payment. Most TAFE institutes charge lower fees to eligible concession holders.

A small number of TAFE courses are not subsidised – these are known as ‘full-fee’ or ‘fee-for-service’ TAFE courses. Tuition fees for these courses are based on the actual cost of providing tuition, and concessions do not usually apply.

Contact your local TAFE institute or your state TAFE information line to find out more about TAFE tuition fees, concessions and payment arrangements.

Private Registered Training Organisations (RTOs)

RTOs provide the same kind of certificates and diplomas as TAFE institutes, but are free to set their own tuition fees. Some RTOs are non-profit community organisations, and offer low-cost courses to particular groups, such as local residents or unemployed people. Other RTOs are businesses with state-of-the-art equipment, and charge fees that reflect this.

Try to contact several RTOs that are offering the course that you are interested in, and compare their fees, facilities and student support services to see which one suits your needs best.

Back to top

Higher education

The Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) assists eligible students to pay their tuition costs. If you are a Commonwealth supported student who is also an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa, you can pay your student contribution by taking out a HECS-HELP loan. If you enrol in a full-fee paying place, you may have access to a FEE-HELP loan. Both loans are repaid through the taxation system when your income reaches a certain level.

Further information on the above programs can be found in the booklets Information for Commonwealth supported students 2009 and FEE-HELP information 2009, which are available from higher education providers and on the Going to Uni website at www.goingtouni.gov.au .

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations provides information through its enquiry line 1800 020 108 (FREECALL) and at the website www.goingtouni.gov.au .

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) provides information on repayment of HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP debts through the:

  • Personal Tax Infoline 13 28 61
  • Higher Education Loan Accounts Unit 1300 650 225
  • website at www.ato.gov.au .

Back to top

Additional costs

There are other costs associated with study, from pens and books to make-up kits or multimedia equipment, depending on your course. Ask your institution how much you will need to allow for:

  • textbooks and stationery
  • equipment, tools and/or uniforms (as with some Australian Apprenticeships)
  • materials, such as art supplies, timber or photographic film and processing
  • residential sessions or excursions.

A computer and internet access is another possible cost – will you need this set up at home or does the institution have a computer laboratory that you can use?

You will also need to think about your accommodation and living expenses.