LOS ANGELES, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Many Americans who did not like government jobs before have to turn to the federal government for jobs as the country's unemployment rate hits over 10 percent in many states.

    The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said 2.4 percent of the total private-sector workforce in the country was laid off or fired in December 2008, while only about 0.3 percent of the federal workforce lost their jobs involuntarily.

    Before the recession, not so many Americans liked government jobs because government employees usually make less money than private-sector employees.

    More law school graduates used to prefer to work at private law firms than in the government as prosecutors. Some Americans did not want to work for the government because some government jobs require background checks and have strict restrictions.

    But now things have changed. Some have been laid off by private companies, some find it hard to get a job in the private sector. One of the places that are still hiring is the U.S. federal government.

    It is expected that the U.S. federal government's civilian workforce of 2.8 million is likely to expand significantly over the next several years as the government continues to stimulate the economy, rescue troubled banks, overhaul health care and pursue other elements of U.S. President Barack Obama's agenda.

    People found that government career now holds greater appeal because it is more stable even if it is not well paid compared with jobs in the private sector.

    According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, government hiring has increased steadily over the past four years, from 79,000 in fiscal year 2004 to 99,000 in fiscal year 2007.

    The U.S. Heritage Foundation estimates that the 787-billion-U.S. dollar economic stimulus package signed into law by Obama could create at least 100,000 more government jobs next year and 120,000 ones by 2012.

    Obama's 3.5-trillion-dollar budget plan will create more jobs since the government will play a greater role in financial regulation, student loans, environmental regulation and care for war veterans.

    Besides, to recruit more young people to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. government has allowed permanent residents to join the army and shorten the waiting period for them to become U.S. citizens.

    According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), fewer than 20 percent of 2009 college graduates are employed, a 6 percent drop compared with the previous year.

    Meanwhile, the NACE also found a greater interest among recent graduates in trying their luck in non-profit organizations and the government.

    This summer, Capitol Hill offices, federal agencies and political organizations in Washington reported a surge in applications and the numbers of interns they have taken.

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office saw a 25 percent increase in intern applicants over last summer, and other Democratic congressional offices surveyed by Politico said they have experienced similar spikes.

    The White House had roughly 6,000 applicants for about 100 positions, a nearly six-fold increase from the Bush administration.

    A recent poll of interns conducted by the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars credited President Barack Obama for much of this: 65 percent of intern respondents were more interested in entering government this year because of him.

    In addition to the Obama attraction, the troubled economy is also a major reason for the increased interest in working in the federal government.

    While the federal government is creating more jobs, local governments seem not.

    California, with an unemployment rate of 11.6 percent, lost 6,700 government jobs in June. Facing a huge deficit of 26 billion dollars, the state continues to furlough government employees, eliminate jobs and cut services.

    Layoff notices are piling up at thousands of public schools, where an estimated 17,500 teachers statewide have been told not to return to classrooms in the fall, when they will officially join the ranks of the unemployed.

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