One company's investment will help create more Atlanta manufacturing jobs in the life-sciences industry.

Animal Health & Sciences Inc. recently announced its plan to invest $9.1 million and hire 100 employees in Thomaston, a suburb of Atlanta. The company makes chemicals for animal shampoos, as well as anti-pest aerosols for dogs, cats and horses.

The company will receive several incentives, including $5 million in job tax credits during the next five years and $400,000 in sales tax savings from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as well as $250,000 from Thomaston.

"A lot of people don’t realize how much of an animal health presence we have here in Georgia," Charles Craig, president of Georgia Bio, a nonprofit organization promoting the bio-tech industry, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "(This) is just another example of Georgia's attractiveness as a destination for bio-science industry development."

More than 60,000 workers are directly or indirectly employed by Georgia's life-science industry, which produces a yearly economic impact of about $16 million, according to the University of Georgia's Selig Center for Economic Growth.

There are currently 300 life-science companies throughout Georgia, with the majority bringing in revenues below $10 million, and 40 percent employing fewer than 10 people. The local industry primarily focuses on bio-engineered medicines, foods, fuels and agricultural products.

The University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention perform ground-breaking bio-tech research throughout the state. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture operates a research center in Athens.

Labels: Atlanta manufacturing jobs

The current circumstances of the economy has moved everyone - if you haven't lost your occupation, chances are you know somebody who has. If you're one of the fortunate ones who has remained employed, chances are you've been afraid of losing your job at one period or another. If you're a business seeker, chances are you've had an hugely punishing time acquiring an interview, not to mention a occupation offer.

While workers and job seekers have had it rough, employers might be having the hardest time of all. many employers have been put in distressing situations and been forced to make rough decisions, including whether or not they have to decrease the size of their company, who they have to sustain on board and who they need let walk off.

Whenever you're a great employer who cares about his or her workers, these plausibly aren't easygoing decisions to make. notwithstanding, if you find yourself in the situation of having to downsize, there are services out there that can assist you make sure your past workers are taken care of.

Companies that extend outplacement services are becoming more and more popular, in part because of the economy, and in portion because employers are beginning to take added obligation whilst they have to make layoffs. One of the better companies that offers such services is Outplacing.com, which provides outplacement services to any size employer, small, medium or huge.

Through Outplacing.com, employers might put their displaced workers up with online and individualised outplacement services that will step-up their success in finding a newfangled employment. One item that makes this business extraordinary is its partnership with Jobing.com, which gives clients access to millions of jobs in various local markets and specific industries.

a few additional things Outplacing.com offers that sets the company apart from other outplacement services are the corporation's nine remedies to help employees discover their suceeding employment, including:

• Unique Career Transition Portal - This is a customized Web site portal for your transitioning employees that offers access to labor openings, trade resources and materials to aid displaced workers.
• Rapid Response - This is the company's commitment to supply outplacement services to displaced workers with as short as one-day notification.
• Resume Writing - The corporation has a team of master resume writers who can review and create a professional resume that will better spotlight your employee's skills and help them through the labor hunting process.
• Resume Distribution - The company will distribute an employee's resume to employers within a particular industry and local market.
• Local Open House - For any business that is forced to make a broad number of layoffs, Outplacing.com can set up an open house specifically for your workers with companies who are trying to hire.
• Outplacing Career Liaison Service - Outplacing.com will interview your employees and present them to a lot of hiring managers.
• Online Personal Branding - The company will set your employees up with social networking accounts to assist with their job search efforts.
• Skill Training & Assistance - Outplacing.com offers several of career resources to assist employees find where they may be able to improve their training or learning.
• Emotional & Financial Resources - The business also has resources that can aid your employees with the private side of transitioning to a newfangled work.

Indeed if you're an employer and find yourself having to make the unpleasant decision of cutting your manpower, don't disregard that there are ways you can make the transitioning work easier on yourself and your employees. Instead of just sending your workers packing, help them out as often as feasible by using outplacement services.

Labels: Outplacement

Anyone looking for San Antonio construction jobs may be interested in a career as a construction laborer.

Construction laborers perform tasks involving physical labor at building, highway, and heavy construction projects; tunnel and shaft excavations; and demolition sites. They also often operate hand and power tools of all types.

In addition, construction laborers may be responsible for cleaning and preparing sites, digging trenches, setting braces to support the sides of excavations, erecting scaffolding, cleaning up rubble and debris, and removing asbestos, lead and other hazardous waste materials.

The majority of construction laborers can learn the skills they need through on-the-job training, but some positions require specialized training, and many job seekers opt to take formal apprenticeships to get an edge on the competition.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, construction laborers in San Antonio are paid slightly less than their state and national counterparts, but can expect good employment opportunities during the near future.

Employment in South Texas is expected to increase from 750 workers during 2006 to 900 workers by 2016, accounting for 150 additional jobs and a growth rate of 20 percent. Employment in Texas should increase from 131,700 workers during 2006 to 163,950 workers by 2016, accounting for 32,250 additional jobs and a growth rate of 24.50 percent.

Across the nation, employment of construction laborers is anticipated to increase from 1,232,002 workers during 2006 to 1,366,496 workers by 2016, accounting for 134,500 additional jobs and a growth rate of 10.90 percent.

The industries that employ construction laborers throughout the nation include:

• Utility system construction - 12.89 percent
• Non-residential building construction - 12.45 percent
• Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors - 10.84 percent
• Other specialty trade contractors - 10.04 percent
• Highway, street and bridge construction - 8.47 percent
• Employment services - 7.65 percent
• Local government, except education - 5.41 percent
• Building equipment contractors - 5.16 percent
• Building finishing contractors - 4.74 percent
• Residential building construction - 2.96 percent
• Other heavy and civil engineering construction - 2.28 percent

During 2008, the average wage for construction laborers in South Texas was $9.09 per hour, while the average wage for those throughout Texas was $10.96 and the average wage for those across the nation was $15.51 per hour.

Labels: San Antonio construction jobs

More city workers could soon lose their LA jobs.

Chief Legislative Analyst Gerry Miller is suggesting that the City of Los Angeles cut 1,000 jobs in order to help balance the budget. Those positions would be in addition to 761 job cuts already planned by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Leaders of the Coalition of LA City Unions have already been fighting against the initial plan to eliminate hundreds of positions, some of which would entail layoffs. However, if any union member is laid off, current labor contracts would require the city to provide $32.3 million worth of raises to any remaining employees next year.

The current budget plan calls for the city to lease 10 parking garages and borrow against future parking meter money. Proceeds would replenish the city's emergency reserve and allocate $53 million to the general fund.

Some City Council members are deciding not to include that money into the budget, however, as no lease agreements have been obtained as of yet. Miller says eliminating 1,000 jobs is the only way to make up for that money.

According to the Los Angeles Times, elected officials and policy advisers have discussed varying figures during the last five months when it comes to layoffs, job cuts and transfers:

• During February, Villaraigosa said up to 3,000 positions could be cut, and an early retirement program would be implemented.
• Soon after, City Council members said they wanted 4,000 positions to be eliminated "by any means necessary, including layoffs."
• During April, Villaraigosa proposed that 761 jobs be cut, many of which are already vacant.

Labels: LA jobs

A new grant will help those preparing for Texas engineering jobs to find internships.

The Texas Workforce Commission recently awarded a $150,000 grant to the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium to help establish the Center for College and Career Preparedness for the All Across Texas internship program.

The goal of the center is to make it easier for college students, teachers and administrators to request speakers, schedule field trips, register site tours and connect with professional development resources.

"There is great economic opportunity in Texas, and we have plenty of young people with the mental horsepower it takes to complete a high-tech degree, so we're working harder to connect the two," Gov. Rick Perry said. "The All Across Texas internship program is the next step in our efforts to improve the quality of education in our state and further groom our workforce of the future to compete in the global marketplace."

Through the All Across Texas program, 30 companies are able to market 200 paid internships to students, as well as provide them with professional and leadership development and mentoring.

Any student pursuing an engineering or computer science bachelor's degree at an accredited university or college in Texas is eligible to participate in the program. Those who get internships much participate in professional development opportunities, including lectures, demonstrations and mentoring by industry experts.

TETC is a partnership between industry, higher education and government officials. The consortium works to increase the quantity and quality of engineers and computer scientists with degrees and encourage cooperative relationships between industry and institutions of higher education that offer engineering and computer science degrees.

Labels: Texas engineering jobs

The future of many Las Vegas city jobs is currently in question.

The Las Vegas City Council is currently struggling with the task of bridging an $80 million revenue shortfall in the city's 2011 budget. In March, the Council approved a tentative budget that would cut 141 city employees, as well as eliminate and decrease some services.

Mayor Oscar Goodman and the Council have been working since that time to convince the city's four unions to make concessions and help balance the budget, in part by taking an 8 percent pay cut this year and next, and by consenting to a freeze on cost of living increases.

Those efforts have so far fallen short, however, as the unions and city officials have yet to come to an agreement. One economist has told the city that making layoffs will only contribute to the economic problem, as will failing to implement freezes on living allowances and pay increases.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, Jeremy Aguero, a principal analyst with Applied Analysis, recently told the Council that laying off employees and allowing wages and benefits to increase would result in the "worst-case scenario."

"Unless our employees who are members of these collective bargaining units come to the table and recognize what we've heard this morning and accept it as the truth and change their mindset, we are at a loss of doing anything other than laying people off," Goodman responded.

"Because unless they're ready to open up their contracts, unless they're ready to make the concessions, which apparently are necessary - maybe necessary evils, but necessary - then we have no alternative but to lay people off," he continued. "And that, once again, as you say, contributes to the problem. That's where our dilemma is."

Labels: Las Vegas city jobs

Many companies looking to implement HR software are considering SaaS options.

The future of HR software lies in SaaS, or Software as a Service, which requires the software to be maintained by the provider and frees up resources companies can use to focus on other projects.

According to a survey from Saugatuck Technologies and Plateau Systems, HR departments view SaaS as a way to stay on top of recruiting and other company goals, but also want their CIOs to make sure support comes with the package.

"It is clear from this research that HR is broadly adopting SaaS solutions to help them meet their business objectives," Jeff Kristick, senior vice president of marketing at Plateau, said. "It is equally clear that not all SaaS solutions and vendors are created equal.

"We partnered with Saugatuck Technology to explore these issues, and found that not only is HR headed to the cloud, but also that, importantly, HR executives identify 'Service' – a component they find to be lacking in many SaaS HR solutions – as the most important consideration when evaluating SaaS solutions," he added.

According to the survey, respondents believe the biggest business challenges during the next two years will be: organizational change and transformation; addressing the skills gap; reducing overall labor costs; and leveraging technology to improve business performance.

In addition, many HR executives believe their current systems are falling short of helping them meet those goals. Many respondents plan to use cloud-based solutions, including SaaS, to help bridge the effectiveness gaps.

The survey further found:

• 40 percent of HR executives plan to implement SaaS for core needs between now and end of 2011.
• 32 percent of HR executives expect SaaS to simplify software management.
• 40 percent of HR executives expect SaaS to reduce costs.
• Nearly 50 percent of HR executives cite security and privacy concerns as potential drawbacks of SaaS.
• 39 percent of HR pros say support is a top consideration in hiring an SaaS provider.
• 33 percent cite implementation costs as a driving factor.
• Core areas for SaaS include time and labor management, as well as HR administration.
• Other priorities for SaaS include benefits administration and talent and performance management.

Labels: HR Software