Boucher announces new jobs for the region

BLUEFIELD – Whether they’re called work at home or virtual jobs, 100 of them are coming to Southwest Virginia.

Congressman Rick Boucher made stops in Abingdon, Bluefield and Christiansburg to announce that Direct TV is expanding into the area. “I am pleased to announce that DIRECTV will operate a virtual call center in Southwest Virginia, hiring 100 of our region’s residents to serve as remote agents,’ Boucher said.

The new virtual call center will be part of DIRECTV’s Remote Agent Program, which is a growing segment of the company’s customer service operations. Currently, DIRECTV employs 1,120 remote agents, representing 12 percent of the company’s total call center staff. In fact, the program has proved to be so successful that DIRECTV saw a 100 percent increase in remote agent staffing last year.

DIIRECTV and its call center partner Convergys will begin hiring 100 qualified individuals from Southwest Virginia right away. Training will take place in April, and the new remote agents will begin taking calls in May. Agents will take calls related to billing and account management, including review of packages and pricing and account changes.

Boucher said the deal was part of his Showcasing Southwest Virginia program. The individuals hired will earn an average of $10 per hour with the possibility of an additional $650 per month based on performance.

The workers will also have access to medical, dental and vision insurance and a 401K pension plan. Boucher credited the high speed internet that is available in the area with being a factor in DIRECTV’s decision.

A job fair will be held April 6 at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on April 7 at Bluefield State from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Anyone interested in applying for these positions should attend one of these job fairs. Additionally, interested candidates can contact their nearest Virginia Employment Commission office. Visit www.vec.virginia.gov for further details. Interested individuals may also contact Convergys, DIRECTV’s call center partner, at http://careers.convergysworkathome.com.