The application process for 5,000 Census Enumerators positions across the country has opened this morning. To date 21,000 people have pre-registered their interest in the positions. The final date for applications is 11 January 2011. However the applications process will close prior to this date if the number of applications reaches 15,000.
The CSO today said that it encouraged people to “Make Your Mark” on Census 2011 by applying to become a Census Enumerator on www.census.ie
The 2011 Census takes place on Sunday April 10 2011. To find out exactly what the role of an enumerator involves and to watch video clips of enumerators from the 2006 Census sharing their experiences of the job log on to www.census.ie
Successful applicants will be offered fixed purpose contracts of approximately 10 weeks commencing on 8th March 2011 until 13th May 2011. Enumerators can expect to receive payment of €2,200, on average, for their work during this 10 week period.
Applicants must be prepared to devote approximately 22 hours per week to census duties but can arrange their own hours. However because of the necessity to make personal contact with all householders, enumerators will typically need to work 5 to 6 evenings every week and at least one day every weekend. If you live in a rural area you must have a full driving licence and the full-time use of a car. You must also have secure storage for census documents.
Speaking about the recruitment process, Deirdre Cullen from the CSO said “to date 21,000 people have pre-registered their interest in the Census Enumerator positions. While this level of interest is fantastic we need to turn these expressions of interests into actual applications. We need 5,000 enumerators who are geographically spread across the country in order to complete the Census.
“Enumerators are a vitally important part of the census process. We have found, for the most part, that enumerators find it a very rewarding experience and many have done more than one Census. Given the extensive contact that they have with the public, it is important that enumerators have patience, tact and consideration. They must also be able to read maps and understand detailed instructions. It can be helpful if they have some survey, market research or practical social work experience, but this is not essential”.
If you are interested in becoming an enumerator for Census 2011 then please apply at www.census.ie The application process is now open. Applications will only be taken through the CSO website www.cso.ie/census
Census 2011 will be the 24th census. The first was carried out in 1841. There was a Census every ten years up to 1946 (with a gap between 1911 and 1926 ) and every five years since 1951. A new EU regulations means that there will be a Census in every EU country in 2011.
Every household in the country is obliged by law to complete and return a census form.
Preliminary results are available three months after the Census and principal demographic results will be available within a year.
For census purposes, the country is divided into 44 designated ‘regions’ each comprising 10 ‘field districts’. Census field operation positions are organised in a pyramid structure with
50 full-time senior managers at the top working from Census HQ and regional offices,
440 full-time field supervisors who will work from their own homes, and
5,000 part-time enumerators who will deliver and collect the census forms to householders over the 10 weeks of the census field campaign.
