You probably think of the holidays when you think of seasonal hiring. But spring is a busy time for the home improvement industry, and thus a key hiring season for The Home Depot.
Home Depot is seeking more than 150 seasonal, part-time workers throughout the Colorado Springs area. Available positions vary by store. Apply at the in-store career kiosks or at http://careers.homedepot.com.
Manufacturing activity has become a bit of a bright spot in a still dismal economic picture. The Institute for Supply Management reported today that its manufacturing index read 58.4 in January. That’s the sixth month in a row of expansion; a reading above 50 signals growth.
Similar indices for Colorado and the Mountain States region, which also includes Utah and Wyoming, both fell in December from the previous month, though still continued to show growth. The Colorado index declined to 56.2 in December from 62.8 in November, while the Mountain States index dropped to 55.6 in December from 59.1 in December. The decline in the regional index was prompted by lower readings for components measuring employment, new orders and production despite gains in confidence, raw material inventory stockpiles and trade numbers. Fewer supply managers from the Mountain States region said in December that they expected layoffs, compared with their expectations in November, but fewer of the managers also expect pay increases, according to a survey by The Goss Institute for Economic Research, which compiles both indices.
Boeing told about 30 employees last week in its Colorado Springs office that they will lose their jobs in two months as a result of “an unexpected decline in funding” for contracts on which they are working, said Michelle Roby, a Boeing spokeswoman in Virginia. Most of Boeing’s local employees work on three satellite systems, a system for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and a border security system. Roby did not identify which contracts were affected by the funding reduction.
According to preliminary figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 102 workplace fatalities in the state in 2008, down from 126 the year before. The most frequent types of workplace fatalities in 2008 were highway accidents (30), being struck by an object or equipment (10), falls (8) and homicides (7). Nationwide, 5,071 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2008.
Business leaders from around the state will meet on the west steps of the state capitol in Denver at 10 a.m. Thursday to urge state legislators and Gov. Bill Ritter to keep business interests in mind as they make difficult decisions about Colorado’s economy and state budget. The Colorado Open for Business rally is coordinated by the Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Fort Collins Area, Loveland and Greeley chambers of commerce and the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance.
“Too often, the business community has not really been at the table on important legislative issues that impact the health and vitality of our state and nation,” said NCLA chair Mark Weaver, in announcing the event. “Few politicians have been business owners; fewer voters are. And yet, if business vitality is not strengthened or even considered, jobs and the economy as a whole can easily become jeopardized. We want to avoid the business and jobs exodus that other parts of the country have experienced, ensuring that Colorado remains a state that is conducive to conducting business.”
The national Self-Storage Association announced today that it is holding its 2010 Spring Convention & Trade Show in April at The Broadmoor. The trade group got its start 35 years ago in Colorado, though these days it’s based in Alexandria, Va. Roughly 1,000 self storage executives owners, investors and industry vendors will meet “in picturesque Colorado Springs” for “high-level discussions on the national economy and its implications for the industry.”
Here are more details from the press release:
SSA’s 2010 Spring Convention & Trade Show will take place April 18th-20th at The Broadmoor Resort. The Association was established in 1975 at Denver and was first managed by Colorado native Arthur “Buzz” Victor.
The executive-level educational program is serious business for professionals in this $20-plus billion per year industry. In addition to keynoter Ron Havner, the program includes featured speakers: Robyn Waters, on tracking and translating trends into sales and profit, and Norm Brodsky, who has founded and grown six businesses, including self storage facilities.
The program will commence Sunday, April 18 with SSA’s third Economic Summit dealing with “Capital Markets and Loan Workouts, Modifications and Extensions” featuring panels of lenders, mortgage brokers, investment brokers, bankers and self storage CEOs.
“This important industry assembly is set to take place at a critical point in time in the nation’s economic recovery,” stated SSA President & CEO, Michael T. Scanlon, Jr. “As we learn from the experts how the national economy is evolving in early 2010, self storage owners can better ascertain the expected banking, customer and economic impacts on their individual businesses. Thus, this is a crucial meeting - one not to be missed,” Scanlon added.
In addition, the program will feature special sessions specifically designed for “Team One” firms (small and single facility owner-operators), the Mid-Sized Operators Group (companies with 2-9 facilities) and the Large Operators Council (companies of 10 or more facilities).
There will be an “Idea Exchange” on the opening day with an “open mic” where operators can network, ask questions and get experienced advice from their peers. Also, a Legal Forum will take place with latest information from court decisions, legislative bills, new laws, and legal opinions relating to self storage operational use of the Internet, kiosks as well as state lien law updates and the latest update on regulations with regard to storage of customer-abandoned records privacy.
Industry professionals are encouraged to visit www.selfstorage.org for much more information, a full brochure, and to register. Registration discounts are available though March 29th, 2010. Attendees should call The Broadmoor Resort directly at 800-634-7711 to reserve their specially priced room (via the SSA room block). Resort discounts are available through March 17th, 2010.
Longtime Colorado Springs technology executive Kevin Burns has been hired as vice president of worldwide marketing for STORServer, a Colorado Springs-based company that assembles devices that back up data from corporate servers. Burns is a co-founder of Intelliden and served in executive posts at Hitachi, MCI and McData.
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center Youth Zone is looking for employers who have summer positions for youths 16 through 21 to attend the annual Governor’s Summer Job Hunt Youth Job Fair, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. March 11 at The Stargazers Theater, 10 S. Parkside Drive. There is no charge for employers to attend. To reserve a booth, call 667-3839.
AT&T today announced the activation of a new 3G cell site in Colorado Springs that will enhance coverage for area residents and businesses. Located just northwest of Highway 115 and Lake Avenue, the site provides additional coverage and capacity north along Highway 115 toward East St. Elmo Avenue, south along Highway 115 toward East Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard, east toward Highway 115, and west toward Cresta Road.
“Investing and expanding our wireless network in both rural and urban areas across Colorado is a priority for us in 2010,” Bill Soards, president of AT&T Colorado, said in a press release. “Consumers and businesses in Colorado Springs are increasingly using wireless broadband as their preferred means to communicate.”
