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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Library helps people who want jobs, or to volunteer

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The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library recently was a hub — for those seeking opportunities for paying jobs, or to volunteer.

In fact, the library has a series of events this month, which is set aside as Career Development Month, focused on helping people find work.

On Nov. 7, a  CareerSource Pasco-Hernando bus was parked outside the library, located at 2818 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes. Inside the bus was an array of computers to help people find employment opportunities.

David Hamilton, an operations manager for CareerSource Pasco-Hernando, offered patrons at Land O’ Lakes Branch Library advice for using computers to search for jobs. (Brian Fernandes)

David Hamilton is the local CareerSource operations manager who was there to help those dropping by The Mobile One Stop bus.

“My thing is to make sure I can help them apply for the job they want to apply for,” Hamilton explained. “I am looking at the general employment skill and that’s everybody, from no particular education, up to [a] bachelor’s degree.”

His aim is to help applicants find work they would be passionate about, as opposed to showing them a general list of what’s available.

As a 26-year career advisor, Hamilton helps others to create or polish up their resumes and cover letters.

It’s important to use correct grammar and punctuation, he said.

Cover letters, he added, should provide fresh content and not be redundant to what’s in an applicant’s resume.

Job applicants need to research a potential employer before creating the cover letter. It should tailor what that employer is seeking.

Hamilton then noted that Pasco County’s major employment category is retail and service, followed by health care.

But, he also pointed out that there’s more demand for nurses looking for work than for retail store managers.

He said he was there to assist people who may need technical help.

Hamilton also mentioned that those seeking jobs include youth entering the workforce for the first time, those who have been laid off and those moving to a new region.

He did mention that finding a position is more challenging for middle-age job seekers because they’re competing with a younger generation.

Pasco County’s current unemployment rate is at 3.3%,  a drastic decline from its 12.7% peak a decade ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

And, with the holiday season approaching, Hamilton expects an increase in job openings.

While Hamilton was helping others find paying jobs, another discussion was taking place inside the library.

At the Social Seniors event inside, those gathered had the chance to learn about multiple ways to become a volunteer.

Social Seniors is geared toward those 55 years old and older who want to take a more active role in their community.

“The Social Seniors is a chance for them (patrons) to come socialize, get some refreshments, maybe learn something new,” said Catherine Seavey, a library branch attendant who helps oversee the program.

Generally, the program allows people age 55 and up to play cards, watch movies, be part of a book club or take part in learning activities.

The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library also has partnered with Pasco County Senior Services and the Seniors in Service organization, to help those seasoned in age, stay productive.

Attendance at monthly meetings tends to go up when there is a guest speaker, and on this particular day, there were speakers offering advice on how to stay engaged through volunteering.

After retiring, Rick Buzzee, of Land O’ Lakes, joined the Rotary Club of Land O’ Lakes to be involved in efforts to promote education, diminish poverty and help with community efforts.

“I think you have to stay mentally alert and mentally productive,” Buzzee said, adding there’s a correlation between good health and staying active.

Career Development Month
Where: Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes

When:

  • Personality Development Personality Tests, Nov. 15 from 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
  • Building a Professional Presence online, Nov. 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Dress for Success, Nov. 18 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • AmSkills Mobile Innovation Station, Nov. 19 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Mock Interviews. Nov. 21 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • CareerSource Mobile One Stop bus, Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Resume workshop on Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Cost: Free

Info: Call (813) 929-1214

Published November 13, 2019

Cybersecurity opportunities expand at Saint Leo

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In a world where new cyber threats constantly emerge, a new agreement between Saint Leo University and (ISC)2 will expand opportunities at the university in the arena of cybersecurity.

(ISC)2 is a nonprofit organization that primarily focuses on education and certification in the field of cybersecurity.

Saint Leo University has recently joined (ISC)2 in a Global Academic Partnership.

USF and Polk State College are other institutions in the region that also joined (ISC)2’s Global Academic Partnership.

Students are busy during a cybersecurity class at Saint Leo University. The field of cybersecurity requires technical skills, but is both financially and professionally rewarding, said Dr. Vyas Krishnan, of Saint Leo University. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Students are busy during a cybersecurity class at Saint Leo University. The field of cybersecurity requires technical skills, but is both financially and professionally rewarding, said Dr. Vyas Krishnan, of Saint Leo University.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“This is one of the largest and most respected organizations that operates in this field,” said Dr. Vyas Krishnan, assistant professor of computer science at Saint Leo University.

“It’s sort of a gold standard,” he added, noting the organization boasts a membership of more than 110,000 cybersecurity professionals worldwide.

“They also offer some of the most highly respected certifications in the field of cybersecurity,” Krishnan said.

The university benefits because the partnership provides Saint Leo students access to educational modules and certification opportunities that (ISC)2 provides for professionals, he said.

“Since we are a Global Academic Partner, our faculty, ourselves would be providing workshops, seminars and training for some of those certifications,” Krishnan said.

That will enable Saint Leo students to work with the same faculty that they’ve been taking classes from at the university, he noted.

Additionally, the partnership will give students a chance to interact with working professionals, Krishnan said.

The cybersecurity field is constantly evolving, and it’s a field that offers significant employment opportunities, Krishnan said.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 37 percent increase in demand for cybersecurity specialists in the next 10 years, he added.

Jobs in this field pay well. Experts can earn from $75,000 to $125,000, with five to 10 years of experience, and the proper certifications, Krishnan said.

Many of the certifications required in job postings are certifications provided by (ISC)2, he noted.

Through the agreement, (ISC)2 will provide thousands of students and professionals across the states of Florida, Virginia and Georgia, and online students from across the country with the opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and certifications.

(ISC)2 also sees a benefit by partnering with Saint Leo, because working professionals must earn continuing professional education credits to keep their certifications current.

Another benefit is that through interactions between the university, the working professionals and the (ISC)2 consortium, knowledge can be shared in the evolving field, Krishnan said.

The interactions will provide a broad view, and raise awareness about emerging threats and new ways to mitigate them.

Cyber criminals are constantly coming up with new ways to steal data or stymie systems.

“The frequency is going up. Cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated,” Krishnan said.

At the same time, companies and organizations recognize that steps must be taken to ensure that data is protected.

“Upper management has fully realized the gravity of the situation, how important it is to protect the assets because there could be legal implications and there could be financial implications, reputation hits, things of that nature,” Krishnan said. “The ramifications are huge.”

The cybersecurity profession is highly technical, Krishnan said. But he added: “It’s also challenging and exciting.

“It’s a lot of cat-and-mouse kind of games.

“You can see the tracks that they leave behind. You can see how they’re impacting your network, but you cannot see the person. A lot of times, you may not even know where they’re located.”

Published November 4, 2015

Fact Check: Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera’s campaign visit to Zephyrhills

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Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera made a campaign stop on behalf of Gov. Rick Scott in Zephyrhills Sept. 22, speaking in front of the Conservative Club of East Pasco.

Throughout his stump speech, Lopez-Cantera attacked Scott’s Democratic opponent, former Gov. Charlie Crist, but also made some other claims as well. 

For the complete story of Lopez-Cantera’s campaign stop, read the Oct. 1 edition of The Laker/Lutz News.

 “The high-speed rail was a project that is about $2 billion, but that would not have covered the cost of the project. And you know who would’ve been on the hook to cover the cost of the project? All of us.

“Look at California. They took the federal money, and they have not laid one inch of rail in their state for high-speed rail. They’re hundreds of millions of dollars in the hole. They raised the gas tax 6 cents just to cover the expense.

“And that is still not going to cover the cost, that is projected to be around $100 billion.”

President Obama announced construction of high-speed rail routes in several states, including Florida, in 2009 as part of his overall stimulus package to help jumpstart the nation’s lagging economy.

Florida was set to receive more than $2 billion, while California was gearing up to receive $8 billion in federal funds. However, while the federal dollars were expected to cover the cost of the Florida route’s first phase between Tampa and Orlando, the California contribution was just a fraction of the $68 billion needed to build the entire line in the state, that had been planned for decades.

The California project took a big hit last January, however, when a state judge there ruled the government could not sell billions of dollars in bonds that would’ve helped finance the project, according to the Washington Post.

In August, the New York Times called the high-speed rail project a failure, claiming the Obama administration spent $11 billion on the project, with nothing to show for it. However, Michael Grunwald from Time magazine disputed that report, saying just $2.4 billion has been spent nationwide, and that major construction of the first high-speed rail lines are just beginning after years of planning.

“In the next two years, you can expect another $1 million in tax cuts, and this is not a Charlie Crist rhetoric tax cut. Another $120 million will be cut in taxes if you have a cellphone. Your cellphone bill will go down.

“And we’re going to eliminate the manufacturing sales tax once and for all, so that we can continue to attract manufacturing jobs to our state, because those are good, high-paying jobs.

“We are going to get a constitutional amendment passed that if your (home) value does not go up, your property taxes will not go up. It is not fair.”

The Tax Foundation, a non-partisan research think tank based in Washington, D.C., has called some of these policies a “mixed bag.”

The constitutional amendment, for example, would require the approval of 60 percent of voters. At the same time, this would affect local government revenue, not state government revenue, said Lyman Stone of the Tax Foundation.

“Restrictions on property tax assessments can reduce local taxation, but only if there are also restrictions on property tax rates, effective standardization of tax-assessing practices, and strict limits on other local revenue sources,” Stone said. “Otherwise, if property taxes are ineffectively capped, localities will just raise the same revenues through less transparent means, like excessive fees, fines, or budget gimmicks that just push expenses further out.”

However, in the same analysis, Stone praised the proposed reduction in cellphone taxes. Florida, he said, has the fourth highest taxes on cellphone usage, and would bring the state closer to norms experienced elsewhere in the country.

 Drug testing those people receiving state funds “was passed in 2011, and has been challenged by liberal groups since then. We are still appealing it. There is an injunction in place that doesn’t allow (the state to enforce drug-testing) until it makes its way through the courts.”

A federal judge last December struck down the law forcing welfare recipients to be drug tested, saying the law violated the Constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. It was similar to a ruling made in Michigan in 2003 that put many proposed drug-testing policies on hold for several years.

The suit that led to the decision was put together by the American Civil Liberties Union, a group generally described as “liberal,” on behalf of a U.S. Navy veteran, Luis Lebron, who had filed for public assistance and was asked to submit to testing.

The New York Times reported late last year the program cost far more than it saved, finding less than 3 percent of those tested with positive results for narcotics.

“We talked about how we increased funding for education the last three years, and how Gov. Scott was a champion of a $480 million pay raise (for teachers). That was not a bonus but a pay raise.”

The raises, according to Scott, would amount to $2,500 per teacher, and up to $3,500 for those deemed “highly effective.” However, while the Legislature did approve a measure that would make an additional $480 million available to school districts, it’s still up to county school boards — not the states — on how that money will be distributed, if at all.

Also, the allocated money is not just for teachers in the classroom. It’s also for guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, librarians, principals and assistant principals, according to the bill, which means at least some of the money is earmarked for those who aren’t in front of students.

Scott has pushed for increased education funding in recent years, but that came after he slashed the education budget in 2011 by $1.3 billion. In fact, despite his most recent increase, education funding per student is still below the levels under Crist in 2007, according to Politifact.

“Charlie (Crist) doesn’t want anyone to remember that he was governor for four years, and what the state looked like when he took it over. It had a 3.5 percent unemployment rate, and when he left, it was much higher. He is going to say it was the global recession, and that it would’ve happened to anybody. That is not true. The same time that Florida lost 830,000 jobs, there was another governor who focused on jobs, and they added 200,000 jobs. And that was Texas.”

Crist moved into the governor’s mansion in January 2007, enjoying an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent. However, by that July, it had climbed to 4 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As the Great Recession went into full swing, unemployment would rise to 4.8 percent after Crist’s first full year in office, and then 8.8 percent after his second.

Florida’s unemployment rate peaked at 11.4 percent in December 2009, and started to drop by April 2010.

When Scott took office in January 2011, the unemployment rate already was declining, dropping to 10.9 percent. It would take nearly three years for Scott to see unemployment rates drop below 7 percent, which it finally did in September 2013, but has plateaued around the 6.3 percent mark since last December.

In terms of what states weathered the recession better than others, Texas did gain attention for its job growth. However, many of those jobs, according to news reports, came in the oil and natural gas industries, which took only a minor hit during the recession.

Florida, on the other hand, was hit hard by the crash of the housing market, losing many jobs in that field — something Texas was able to absorb.

Last July, NPR reviewed job growth in all 50 states between January 2008 and May 2014, using data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During that time, North Dakota had the biggest job growth at 21.2 percent, followed by Texas with 8.4 percent — both taking advantage of growth in the petroleum industry.

In total, 18 states and the District of Columbia saw positive job growth since the time the recession was in full swing, but none of them are Florida. The Sunshine State is ranked 38th in job growth since January 2008, tied with Maine, showing it’s still short of reaching its pre-recession levels by 1.7 percent.

Of the 19 states and territories that have seen positive growth since the recession, eight are led by Democrats, and seven by Republicans. Two other states — Oklahoma and Iowa — went from Democrat to Republican governors during that time span, while two others — Minnesota and California — went from Republican to Democrat.

“The first two years, he was chasing the vice presidency and not focusing on the state. The second two years, he was running for a United States Senate seat.

“And he is the first governor in the history of Florida to not run for re-election.”

Charlie Crist was touring and campaigning with John McCain after the U.S. Senator won the Republican nomination in 2008, and many news outlets said Crist was one of the contenders to possibly accompany McCain on the presidential ticket, especially since that could help deliver Florida in the presidential election.

McCain, however, chose Sarah Palin instead, and would go on to lose to Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the November race.

Less than a year later, Republican Mel Martinez resigned from his U.S. Senate seat some four years after winning it, and Crist appointed his chief of staff, George LeMieux — who many largely saw as a placeholder for Crist — and Crist soon after announced his intentions to run for the seat.

When it became obvious Marco Rubio was going to win the Republican nomination two years later for the senate seat, Crist would stay in the race as an independent, eventually losing to Rubio in 2011.

Crist, however, is not the first governor in history to not run for re-election. Assuming Lopez-Cantera was only referring to sitting governors eligible to seek re-election (which would exclude the likes of Lawton Chiles and Jeb Bush), C. Farris Bryant chose to serve just one term as governor, and did not seek re-election in 1964. He would be succeeded by another Democrat, W. Haydon Burns, in a two-year term in 1965.

Job growth continues in Florida

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Florida created 36,900 private-sector jobs in June, lowering the unemployment rate slightly for the state to 6.2 percent.

“Florida experienced a record-setting month for private-sector job creation in June with 36,900 new jobs over the month, and a total of 620,700 private-sector jobs added since December 2010,” Gov. Rick Scott said, in a release. “This news is great for Florida families, and Florida continues to have great success in our state’s economic recovery.”

The state news follows positive job creation reports for the nation as a whole, which added 288,000 non-farm jobs in the last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That has brought the national unemployment rate down to 6.1 percent.

Scott, who is running for re-election, is using the numbers as proof his policies work, while opponents say the recovery of the national economy has helped Florida’s rebound considerably as well.

Scott, however, has tried to show Florida has grown beyond the federal help by using gross domestic product figures. The GDP rose 2.2 percent in June, the third-highest increase in the nation, and above the national average of 1.8 percent. That’s a turnaround compared to GDP declines between 2008 and 2011, the Scott administration said, although much of that time was during the Great Recession.