Our 1,000 $9-10.25 Per Hour Jobs

Wow, remember the Star headlines and the Henderson story with the unnamed "source" telling us about the great job that Eddie did to bring these high tech jobs to Windsor. All by himself too while he was doing everything else under the sun too to work harder for Windsor where our future starts sometime.

Here is the Press Release for the new jobs. Considering that, according to Gord Henderson and his source, Eddie Francis did so much, I was surprised that a statement from him was missing from the Press Release. Was he being paid back? Or was I right that he did nothing to get the jobs except to call Sandra in to salvage the situation for him!

Hmmmmm...no thanks given to Eddie either.

Clearly jobs are jobs but to replace the auto jobs lost, we need about 14,000 more call centre ones according to a calculation a reader gave me. The hype around the jobs was pathetic, just like Eddie's Super Bowl hype and what the money it would bring to Windsor. While the jobs are great news for relatively unskilled workers (just like any Super Bowl or World Series money is great too) why is it so necessary to try and fool citizens all the time! Tell us the truth; we can handle it

Another of my readers must be unhappy at work and must have stumbled across the ad for the workers (see below). How high tech can the jobs be at $9 per hour?


Ontario Government Attracts 1,000 High Value Jobs to Windsor
New Technical Support Centre To Help Diversify, Strengthen Windsor Economy

WINDSOR, ON, Nov. 2 /CNW/ - Economic Development and Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello was joined by Dwight Duncan, MPP for Windsor-St. Clair, Ashok Jain, Chief Operating Officer of Sutherland Global Services, and Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis to announce a new technical support centre in Windsor creating 1,000 high value jobs in this community.

"This is a huge win for Windsor," said Pupatello. "This investment is a real boost to this city's economy and a vote of confidence in its highly educated workforce. These are the kinds of investments that help put Windsor and the rest of Ontario on the radar screen to attract other innovative businesses."

Sutherland Global Services (SGS) will provide advanced technical support for personal computer users. The new Windsor operation, set to open December 15, 2006, will phase in hiring and training for technical support agents in diagnostics and troubleshooting. SGS will hire 75 agents starting mid-November and another 500 agents in March 2007. One thousand full time positions will be filled by March 2008.

Windsor is part of a growing trend as Ontario attracts more high-end technical support centers.

This is meeting a North American consumer demand for technical support services closer to home.

"We're grateful to Sutherland Global Services for choosing Ontario," Pupatello added. "We know it's because of the quality of Windsor's workforce, and the competitive advantage Ontario offers through lower corporate tax rates, health care, and telecommunications costs."

"This is great news for Windsor and this entire region," said Duncan. "This technical support centre is the result of our government's aggressive efforts to bring good jobs and more opportunity to workers and families in this community. We're helping diversify Windsor's local economy and promote our strong, skilled workforce."

Windsor is the third SGS operation in Ontario. The company operates two technical support centres in Sault Ste. Marie employing 1,300 people.

Citing the abundant skilled labour, the continued support of the Government of Ontario and the spirit of partnership demonstrated by the City of Windsor, Sutherland's Chief Operating Officer Ashok Jain said, "We thank the Province of Ontario for being supportive of our investment and look forward to working with them and the people of Windsor in supporting the region's economic growth."

=========================================================
Advertisement number: 2452052

Title: Help desk technical agent (tier I support) (NOC: 2282)

Terms of Employment: Permanent, Full Time, Shift, Overtime, Weekend, Day, Night, Evening
Salary: $9.00 to $10.25 Hourly for 40 hours per week
Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible
Location: Windsor, Ontario (25 vacancies )
Skill Requirements:
Education: Completion of high school
Credentials (certificates, licences, memberships, courses, etc.): Not applicable, Not required
Experience: 0 - 6 months
Languages: Speak English, Read English, Write English
Specific Skills: Communicate electronically and in person with computer users experiencing difficulties to determine and document problems experienced
Work Setting: Help desk
Computer an Technology Knowledge: Windows, Hardware, Device drivers, Networking software, Networking hardware, Networking security , Intranet, Internet, Servers, Applications - desktop
Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Fast-paced environment, Work under pressure, Tight deadlines, Attention to detail, Sound discrimination, Sitting
Security and Safety: Bondable, Enhanced reliability security clearance, Criminal record check (abstract)
Transportation/Travel Information: Public transportation is available
Essential Skills: Reading text, Document use, Numeracy, Writing, Oral communication, Working with others, Problem solving, Critical thinking, Job task planning and organizing, Significant use of memory, Finding information, Computer use, Continuous learning

Employer: Sutherland Global Services

How to Apply:
Please apply for this job only in the manner specified by the employer. Failure to do so may result in your application not being properly considered for the position. By E-mail: windsor@suth.com

Web Site: http://www.suth.com
Advertised until: 2006/11/30

UPDATE

--EDDIE'S SEPARATE PRESS RELEASE

New technology company to add 1,000 jobs to Windsor

Sutherland Global Services, an international operator of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and a leader in Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) announced today that it will open a technology response centre at College Avenue and Huron Church Road in Windsor.

The new facility will initially employ over 100 technical customer service agents and will ramp up to over 1,000 employees over the next two years.

“We are very excited by the prospect of adding this new dimension to our knowledge based economy. We welcome Sutherland to our community,” said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis. “Windsor has a great manufacturing base and knowledge based services such as those offered by Sutherland are exactly the kind of continuing economic diversification that we encourage.”

Mayor Francis, Ontario Economic Development and Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello, and the Honourable Dwight Duncan MPP-Windsor St. Clair, welcomed Sutherland to Windsor in a news conference today. The company offers technical support operations in business processes and information technology for a variety of clients.

(I guess Eddie needed one since the Provincial one ignored him. His release snubs them, again!)