Nobody likes a recession

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO -- A recession doesn't last forever, right?
"Things are going to turn around," job seeker Michael Fields, 58, of Rialto said while attending a Westside job fair on Wednesday.

Fields, who said he lost his job as a building-maintenance worker about eight months ago, said he's not going to lose his faith while looking for a new job.

His goal? Something along the lines of custodial or home-repair work.

"I've had applications out, but nothing's come in yet," said Fields, who also mentioned he is thinking about taking classes in hopes of getting a job in medical billing.

When asked how he is getting by, Fields set free a frustrated laugh and said "barely."

He's not alone. California government statistics show that unemployment in the Inland Empire was slightly higher than 12 percent in February.

Fields and dozens of other job seekers attended a job fair that the county's Preschool Services Department held Wednesday inside the Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino's gymnasium.

The gym is adjacent to a Head Start preschool. Preschool official Darlene Logan cq said the job fair was put together in light of the impoverished conditions some of the preschool's families are facing.

"Some of the families are living right ... with five different families in a household," Logan said.

Many of the exhibitors at the job fair were schools like University of Phoenix. But organizations whose representatives said they were actually looking to hire people included the U.S. Census Bureau and Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino.

"The interesting thing that we're saying is the Census is offering thousands of positions throughout the county," Census representative Shawna Gonzales said.

The Census, which has an office in San Bernardino, is preparing for its attempt to count every man, woman and child living in the United States in 2010.

Preschool Services also had a booth for those interested in a free program that trains people interested in future employment as teachers aides, interpreters or custodians.

People interested in jobs with the Census Bureau or Community Action Partnership can get more information online at http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs or http://www.capsbc.org.