District Working to Reduce City's Unemployment Rate

The San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) Personnel Commission is actively working to reduce San Bernardino’s double-digit percent unemployment rate by recruiting for a variety of skilled and unskilled jobs. According to the City of San Bernardino’s website, the city has a labor force of 85,000. Only about 68,900 are currently employed, resulting in an unemployment rate of 18.9 percent. Since January, the SBCUSD Personnel Commission has been making a steady dent in those numbers by filling 130 positions and seeking to fill dozens more. Not only is the Commission helping decrease the city’s unemployment rate, it is filling vital positions that directly benefit students, such as instructional aides and cafeteria workers. The Personnel Commission is a voter-approved organization that recruits and evaluates job applicants for SBCUSD classified positions in a way that promotes fair hiring practices. Classified positions do not require a teaching credential, though some positions may require other credentials or certificates. “We are focused on our mission of employing the best, highest-caliber workers for the benefit of our 50,000 students,” said Commissioner Mike Salazar. “The bonus is that by putting people to work, we also have a positive impact on our local economy.” The Personnel Commission, under the direction of three commissioners, works with the District to approve job descriptions. The Commission is responsible for recruiting and evaluating job applicants. Qualifying applicants are tested and ranked according to their results. Applicants may be asked to take multiple-choice, short answer, or hands-on tests. The top-ranked applicants are invited to interview for the position. “We have processed more than 10,000 job applications and tested for 40 different job categories,” provisional Personnel Commission Director Karen Hoch said. “We believe this will give community members hope, especially those who are unemployed or underemployed. We know that our students are more likely to succeed when they and their families are financially stable. Having a parent employed in a good job makes that happen.” Most of the 130 permanent positions filled since January include paid holidays, sick leave, and vacation benefits. Many classified positions are tied to the school calendar, so parents can be off work when their children are on school breaks. Classified job categories include everything from instructional positions that provide direct assistance to teachers and students in the classroom to maintenance positions such as custodians and grounds keepers. Most positions require a high school diploma or GED, and some require a college education or industry certification. The variety of positions translates to employment opportunities for almost every eligible worker in the greater San Bernardino and Highland communities. Additionally, the District’s Adult School offers reasonably priced courses to prepare adults for these and other job opportunities. “Just as the District is working to make hope happen for students, the Personnel Commission wants to make hope happen for parents and recent graduates,” Hoch said. A current list of all classified job openings, is available online at http://agency.governmentjobs.com/sanbernardinousd/default.cfm . Job seekers are encouraged to create a NeoGov account to receive email notifications of job openings. All applications must be submitted online. The Personnel Commission allows applicants free use of computers at its office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. Free computer access is also available at the District’s Family Resource Center at 1525 West Highland Avenue in San Bernardino.