FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) Florence was one of the cities in contest for a Boston-based roadside assistance company to locate a new call center and bring 500 jobs, and officials in Florence say the company will not make a home in South Carolina.
WMBF News contacted officials with the Florence County Economic Partnership who said, "It's an unfortunate event. It was a building driven decision."
The employee we spoke to could not comment further on Agero's decision to locate it's call center in Clarksville, TN, but assured that the Executive Director would have all the details when he returns to Florence next week.
Agero held a job fair at the Southeastern Institute for Manufacturing and Technology Monday to scout out potential employees to see if Florence offers enough qualified applicants and if it would be a better option than Clarksville, TN.
The company also held a job fair in Clarksville before making a final decision where to expand.
Florence jobs leaders were poised to hold the event and were impressed with the turnout on day one.
"We've had 600 in less than two hours show up here so we obviously have the quantity workforce. They're just checking to see quality. Do we have employees that would be suited for [the job]?" said Katie Wyllie, communications director for the Florence Economic Development Partnership.
Many applicants were counting on the jobs to come to Florence County.
"I go to the unemployment office at 8 o'clock in the morning and the line is around the building, so Florence really needs this opportunity to get people employed and back on their feet," said job seeker Brenda Thomas.
Representatives with Agero say they're looking to fill a wide-variety of positions from customer service to management. They are looking for certain qualities, though.
"We want those agents who have demonstrated that they have customer service skills, have empathy for those motorists who are on the side of the road and care about people," said Sandy Justice-Savage, Agero's vice president of human resources.
Copyright 2012 WMBF News. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WMBF, a Raycom Media Station.
