After recently notifying 13 fiscal and accounting managers that they would be laid off in 90 days, the City of Tampa is now planning to cut an additional 30 employees in the budget office. Tampa Bay Online is reporting that all laid-off employees will be able to reapply for new positions once the city reorganizes its financial and budget officer operations.

The first round of employees to be laid off will be eligible to apply for five new management positions, while the second round of employees laid off will be able to apply for new budget office positions. It may be tough competition, however, as all of the new positions also will be open to the general public.

The major goal of the layoffs is to cut costs and consolidate financial operations in several city departments, as several employees in different departments were performing the same financial analysis. Once the reorganization is complete, Tampa will have 10 to 15 less finance positions and save about $1 million each year.

Currently, payroll and benefits make up the biggest percentage of Tampa's general fund at about $212 million. The city has been working during the past two years to reduce its workforce by 10 percent, or more than 500 jobs, through layoffs and eliminating vacant positions.

Tampa was previously apprehensive to implement any pay cuts or furloughs for city workers. This year, however, the city imposed a freeze on cost-of-living and merit raises for police officers, firefighters and general employees.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area's government industry employed 152,100 workers during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 152,800 workers during November and a 2.9 percent decrease from December 2008.

Nationwide, the education industry has continued to add jobs, despite the economic recession. Along with healthcare, it is considered one of the most stable industries and is expected to continue growing during the near future.

The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis area's education and health services industry employed 146,600 workers during November 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 145,200 workers during October and a .8 percent increase from November 2008.

When it comes to primary and secondary education, the City of Milwaukee maintains Milwaukee Public Schools, which is the largest school district in the State of Wisconsin and one of the largest in the nation. The 223-school district had 92,935 students as of 2007 and 6,100 full-time and substitute teachers in 2006.

According to Wikipedia, Milwaukee Public Schools operate as magnet schools, with individualized specialty areas for interests in academics or the arts. The school district took a hit during 2007, when it was named to a national list of "dropout factories," or schools where fewer than 60 percent of freshmen graduate on time.

There also are more than two dozen private and parochial high schools in Milwaukee, as well as many private and parochial middle and elementary schools. About 84.5 percent of those 25-years and older in Milwaukee have a high school diploma, while 27 percent have at least a bachelor's degree.

When it comes to higher education, Milwaukee has one of the highest per capita student populations in North America. A 2000 study from McGill University ranked the city sixth among United States and Canadian cities for the number of college students per 100 residents.

Some of the most prominent universities and colleges in the Milwaukee area include:

• Alverno College
• Bryant and Stratton
• Cardinal Stritch University
• Carroll University
• Concordia University Wisconsin
• Herzing University Online
• ITT Technical Institute
• Marquette University
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• Milwaukee Area Technical College
• Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
• Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Mount Mary College
• Sacred Heart School of Theology
• University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
• University of Wisconsin–Waukesha
• Wisconsin Lutheran College

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that it has awarded the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership $5 million under the Renewable Northwest Project to help increase worker skills in energy and renewable energy industries.

The project is expected to preserve and create 1,734 jobs in the renewable energy industries, including electric power and biofuels, by building a skilled workforce to support companies that generate power and help local manufacturers in retooling their workforce.

According to an article by The Oregonian, the funding will be distributed to agencies and schools in the Portland, Salem and Vancouver areas. Counties to benefit from the money include Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Marion, Polk and Yamhill in Oregon, as well as Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum in Washington.

Grant partners so far include: Sheet Metal Workers Local 16, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Dist. No. 24, the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, Energy Trust of Oregon, four local Workforce Investment Boards, the bistate WorkSource system, six community colleges and economic development partners.

The additional green investment could help to boost Oregon's economy. Despite a small decline in unemployment, the state has maintained a relatively high unemployment rate and continued to see monthly and yearly job decreases.

During November 2009, Oregon's unemployment rate decreased from 11.2 percent to 11.1 percent, following a decrease from 11.3 percent during October. Despite that small decrease, the state's unemployment rate is still higher than the national unemployment rate of 10 percent.

Oregon had a total non-farm employment of 1,611,700 workers during November, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 1,616,300 workers during October and a 5.2 percent decrease from the previous year.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the Portland area lost 52,200 jobs during 2009. Overall employment in the city declined by 5 percent, from 1,034,600 jobs to 982,400 jobs.

The Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton area had the eighth-highest percentage change and the 16th highest raw change in employment during the year. Of the 100 biggest labor markets included in the report, 99 saw a decrease in employment during 2009.

The only major market that added jobs was the McAllen-Edinburg area in Texas, which added 2,700 jobs from November 2008 to November 2009.

The Los Angeles area saw the biggest decline in raw numbers, with the city losing 194,900 jobs during the year. Youngstown, Ohio, saw the biggest 12-month decline percentage-wise, as the city lost 7.2 percent of its workers during the year.

The 10 areas that saw the biggest percentage decline in employment include:

1. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman by 7.2 percent
2. Detroit-Warren-Livonia by 6.8 percent
3. Las Vegas-Paradise by 6.7 percent
4. Boise City-Nampa by 6.3 percent
5. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale by 6 percent
6. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis by 5.9 percent
7. Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice by 5.6 percent
8. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton by 5 percent
9. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville by 5 percent
10. Wichita by 5 percent

The 10 areas that saw the biggest raw change include:

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana by 194,900 jobs
2. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet by 186,600 jobs
3. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island by 186,100 jobs
4. Detroit-Warren-Livonia by 128,600 jobs
5. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta by 117,100 jobs
6. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale by 110,200 jobs
7. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown by 88,900 jobs
8. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont by 83,100 jobs
9. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington by 80,900 jobs
10. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue by 68,500 jobs

Education Management Corporation recently announced its plan to invest $30 million to expand in Pittsburgh, a move that will help create about 600 new jobs during the next three years and retain another 2,500 existing positions. The company currently employs about 20,000 workers in 93 locations throughout the United States and Canada.

EDMC. provides post-secondary educational services. According to an article by CoStar Group, the company has leased an additional 17,589-square-feet of space in the building where its headquarters is located. EDMC also will expand its 157,555-square-foot online higher education facility by 27,018-square-feet.

Outside of Pittsburgh, EDMC is currently building a 41,367-square-foot data center in Robinson Township, Pa. The first phase of that project will establish administrative offices that are expected to open during spring 2010. The data center itself is slated to be online by 2011.

"This project - and the large number of high-paying jobs it will bring - is great news for the Pittsburgh region, especially in this economy," Gov. Edward G. Rendell said.

The Governor's Action Team and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance worked together to support EDMC's expansion in the city. The company will receive a $5.75 million incentive package from the State of Pennsylvania, including a $3 million opportunity grant, $1.25 million in infrastructure assistance, $1.2 million in job creation tax credits and $300,000 for job training assistance.

In addition, EDMC will receive $250,000 from Allegheny County, including a community block grant worth $100,000 and $150,000 for job training assistance.

The additional jobs should add to the Pittsburgh area's stabilizing economy, which has maintained a monthly increase in employment, despite a slight increase in unemployment and loss of jobs when compared to last year.

During October, Pittsburgh saw its unemployment rate increase from 7.5 percent to 7.7 percent, following a decrease from 7.9 percent during September. Despite the increase, the city's rate is still lower than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10.2 percent.

Pittsburgh had a total non-farm employment of 1,127,100 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,122,300 workers during September, but a 2.9 percent decrease from last year.

Last month, the White House ordered federal agencies to increase the number of veterans they recruit for federal jobs through the Veterans Employment Initiative, an executive order from President Barack Obama.

Under the initiative, agencies are responsible for: developing a plan to promote employment opportunities to veterans; establishing a Veterans Employment Program office to help carry out the plan within 120 days of the order; and providing annual training for HR managers to ensure they are giving veterans preference and are exercising special hiring authorities for veterans.

In addition, Obama established an inter-agency Council on Veteran's employment, which is led by the Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Personnel Management.

The council will be responsible for: coordinating government-wide recruitment and training to increase the number of veterans that agencies employ; serving as a forum for promoting employment opportunities to veterans; and establishing ways to measure the effectiveness of the initiative.

There are several resources veterans can take advantage of given the new federal initiative. For instance, there are a slew of federal employment-related Web sites that veterans can visit in order to search for jobs and get advice.

According to an article by FederalTimes, veterans looking for jobs should:

• Explore all options - Many agencies offer paid internships and training programs that set young professionals on a path to management. However, most of these programs are only announced on agency Web sites.
• Prove that you wielded responsibility - On your job applications, you should include your final rank, the number of people under your command and the positive feedback you received, including promotions, medals, honors and positive annual evaluations. It also is helpful to cite any past or current security clearances.
• Describe any generic and transferable skills - It can be beneficial to discuss the challenges you faced in the military and what you learned from those situations on your job applications. You also should include technical expertise, self-discipline, experience handling confidential information, attention to detail, international experience, knowledge of geographic regions, language skills and an ability to excel in high-pressure situations.
• Translate your military experience into civilian terms - Hiring managers will better understand your application if you define or avoid technical terms, titles and acronyms, as well as explain the importance of your work to your unit.
• Submit all required documents - Neglecting to submit or failing to label documents that prove your military service or disability, or failing to bring these documents to career fairs, can greatly harm your chances of getting a job.
• Negotiate your salary - You should take the opportunity to ask for better pay after you receive an offer and before you respond to it, because you usually lose any leverage for compromise after you accept a job.

A recent study from two psychologists - Ellen Ernst Kossek, who teaches HR management and organizational behavior at Michigan State University, and Leslie Hammer, director of the Occupational Health Psychology program at Portland State University - found there is a strong case for working a more flexible schedule or telecommuting to your job.

During the four-year study, the researchers evaluated how supportive managers in 12 Midwestern grocery stores were of their employees' lives outside work, including everything from family responsibilities to personal pursuits. As part of the study, half of the managers were trained to "work with employees to reduce scheduling conflicts between work and family obligations."

The results, not surprisingly, found that employees with managers who offer a flexible workplace are more satisfied with their jobs and in better physical health. In addition, those employees have a lower turnover rate than workers under managers who don't offer flexibility.

"You can support someone to do their job," Kossek told The Seattle Times. "But it is also important for managers to support work and family integration, and to support all the other aspects of employees' lives outside the workplace."

Aside from offering a flexible schedule, the study found that employees also appreciate managers who offer emotional support, which can greatly increase a worker's happiness on the job. As another part of the study, store managers were trained to be emotionally supportive of employees.

For example, supervisors were trained to acknowledge the after-hours responsibilities and pursuits of their staff, including things involving family and school, and to understand the conflicts that can occur between an employees' work life and personal life.

"Emotional support is important," Kossek added. "In some of the stores we studied, managers weren't even saying 'hello' to their employees."

The Small Business Administration recently announced its plan to release "Winning Federal Contracts: A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs," a new online training course meant to teach female business owners about the federal procurement process.

The training course is comprised of a self-paced scripted and audio guide that helps women learn about contract rules, gives suggestions on where to find contracts and offers proposals on how to sell to the government. The SBA already had 2,300 people participate in the training during the first 14 days the course was available.

The course is an offshoot of President Barack Obama's effort to promote federal contracting opportunities to women-owned small businesses and minority-owned small businesses. The overall goal of the training is to enable women to better understand the process of obtaining federal contracts.

"It's designed not only to provide an overview, but also to provide links to resources," Jim O'Conner, director of SBA's small business training network, told Inc. "We covered all the basics in the procurement arena, with particular focus on how to win recovery-based contracts."

The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act, which was established in 1994, requires that federal agencies award at least 5 percent of their federal contracts to women-owned small businesses. However, only 3.4 percent, or about $14 billion, of federal contracts are currently awarded to women.

Therefore, the SBA has been committed to helping agencies achieve that 5 percent goal, and this new training course is part of that effort. The SBA also offers several new outreach programs through its women's business centers to help women understand the procurement process. The organization also is working on a training exercise that is expected to be completed soon.

In most cases, a high school diploma is required in order to enter an emergency medical technician or paramedic training program. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, these programs usually offer training at progressive levels, including EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Paramedic.

During EMT-Basic training, coursework focuses on emergency skills, such as managing respiratory, trauma and cardiac emergencies, as well as patient assessment. Students often divide their time between formal courses, emergency rooms and ambulances.

Basic level training provides instruction on how to deal with bleeding, fractures, airway obstruction, cardiac arrest and emergency childbirth. Students learn how to use and maintain common emergency equipment, such as backboards, suction devices, splints, oxygen delivery systems and stretchers.

Students who graduate from approved EMT-Basic training programs are required to pass a written and practical examination administered by the state certifying agency or the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Training requirements for the next level, EMT-Intermediate, vary by state. The 1985 and 1999 nationally defined levels usually require 30 to 350 hours of training based on the scope of practice. Students at this level learn advanced skills such as the use of advanced airway devices, intravenous fluids and some medications.

The final and most advanced training level is the EMT-Paramedic level. Caregivers at this level receive training in anatomy and physiology as well as advanced medical skills. Training, which may result in an associate's degree, is usually conducted in community colleges and technical schools during a one to two year period

Students are required to take extensive related coursework and have clinical and field experience. Following training, they're required to take the NREMT examination in order to become a certified paramedic.

Although licensing requirements vary by state, all states require certification for each of the EMT levels, and most states require registration with the NREMT. However, some states administer their own certification examination or provide the option of taking ether the NREMT or the state examination.

In order to maintain certification, EMTs and paramedics are required to recertify every two years, and they usually must be working as an EMT or paramedic and meet a continuing education requirement in order to do so. Once basic training is completed, EMTs and paramedics of all levels can take refresher courses and participate in continuing education.

Broadbean, M5, The Code Works and Virtual Software are all slated to make applications that are fully integrated with Bullhorn. The solutions, which will be available by the end of 2009, will provide customers with the opportunity to achieve a stronger competitive advantage.

In addition, the solutions will allow customers to engage in a richer user experience experience across several touch points that are critical to the everyday tasks of staffing and recruiting professionals, including sourcing, telephony, vendor management and the back office.

"Bullhorn’s customers consistently realize competitive advantage by living in Bullhorn every day, with a single, comprehensive integrated front office that maximizes their productivity from job order to placement," Art Papas, CEO and co-founder of Bullhorn, said. "By advancing Bullhorn’s ecosystem with new solutions that are fully integrated with our platform, our customers now have the capability to extend Bullhorn into every aspect of their staffing and recruiting process, from telephony to vendor management."

The solutions will include:

• Telephone - the integration between Bullhorn and M5 Networks will add an invaluable dimension to managing client and candidate relationships. The combination of voice, CRM applications and business intelligence will give staffing and recruiting professionals instant access to the history and current business status of clients and candidates, which will in turn allow them to make more productive calls. In addition, staff and client activity can be reported in real-time for metrics and measurements.
• VMS - Bullhorn’s partnership with The Code Works, and its new product VMS Express for Bullhorn, will significantly reduce the time required to use vendor management systems from Bullhorn's front office. VMS Express automates entering jobs into Bullhorn from multiple VMS systems and minimizes the need for data entry of candidates into each VMS.
• Sourcing - Through its partnership with Broadbean, Bullhorn will expand its capabilities to post jobs and track responses. Using Broadbean, a Bullhorn client can click a "Post to Broadbean" button from a Bullhorn job record. The client will then be re-directed to the Broadbean posting screen, where the form will already be populated with Bullhorn data, and the client can then select job boards.
• Back Office - Bullhorn's integration of Virtual Software will provide a unique set of Web-based timesheet, billing and expense reporting solutions. Benefits include direct data transfer from Bullhorn, online entry and approval and one-touch exports of invoices, payroll and contractor payments.