Posted on 04/27/2017 5:01:24 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Convergys Corp., a global customer management service provider, expects to create 251 new full-time jobs at a technical support center in the Johnstown area.
On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office announced that the company plans to lease a 26,636-square-foot facility at the former home of NCO Financial Systems. Convergys wants to begin hiring in the summer and get the business operational by the fall.
The arrangement was made possible by a funding proposal from the state Department of Community and Economic Development that included $502,000 in job creation tax credits and $108,000 in Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania money for employee training.
“I am pleased that Convergys chose to establish operations in Cambria County, Pennsylvania,” Wolf said.
“This was a critical project with Pennsylvania competing with six other potential states. These jobs will offer wages higher than the county average, which is especially important for this part of the state, and will contribute substantially to the economic vitality of both the region and the state.”
State Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr., a Republican from the 35th District, added: “I am thrilled that, as the old saying goes, Convergys could have gone anywhere, but they chose Cambria County. The family-sustaining jobs they will create will pay wages that exceed the county average, and will fuel the economy of both the region and the state for years to come.”
The company expects to make a total investment of more than $2.7 million.
Convergys partners with clients to provide voice, chat, mobile, text, social, email and interactive voice response services. It employs more than 130,000 people combined in 33 countries.
“As the U.S. leader in customer management, Convergys is, at its core, a people business,” Andrea Ayers, president and CEO for Convergys, said. “The creation of new jobs and careers is one of the most important things we do in our communities, and we are especially glad to have the opportunity to invest in Johnstown. We look forward to being a part of the Johnstown community and thank Governor Wolf, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Cambria County Commissioners for their support and ongoing partnership.”
Cambria County President Commissioner Tom Chernisky called the company’s decision to set up a local facility “great news for our region.”
Linda Thomson, president of Johnstown Area Regional Industries, added: “We’re real excited that they selected our area, and we’re going to do everything we can to support them. It’s just all good.”
Convergys has a call center in Arizona. It is closing down operations by the end of the month. Arizona recently passed a higher minimum wage and many of the jobs are going to New Mexico. The minimum wage in New Mexico is not higher than the federally mandated one.
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