New call center to provide more jobs during hard times
Kathy Esquivel
The unemployment figure stood at twelve point five percent for the third quarter of 2009, that's according to the Statistical Institute of Belize. The opening of a new business venture may not dent the statistics, but in these hard times, it will provide sixty jobs for residents of Belize City. It won't come on-stream until April, but with Clear Call Belize Limited, it is expected that many will be lining up for jobs. The directors of the company are Crios Munnings, Ruth and Kathy Esquivel. And according to Kathy, it's a joint venture partnership with Market Links, a U.S. based company that has established call centers throughout the Caribbean.
Kathy Esquivel, Director, Clear Call Belize Limited
"We've been working with Market Links in the U.S. that has a wide experience. They have call centers in Florida, Jamaica, and Dominican Republic. We finally got it to a point where we hope to open early April in Belize City."
Jose Sanchez
"How many jobs?"
Kathy Esquivel
"We're looking at thirty seats with two shifts. So we're talking about sixty jobs."
Jose Sanchez
"Do you see this as a market that can grow within the country?"
Kathy Esquivel
"Definitely; there is a market for it. It's providing employment opportunities for people essentially high school graduates who might or might not have experience. And so even if they don't stay within it, it gives them a good first employment opportunity from which they can go on. But many people stay with it."
Jose Sanchez
"The type of services that they will speak to, what are they?"
Kathy Esquivel
"The clients we're looking at currently are U.S. universities. So the calls would be to prospective students in the U.S. that universities want to attract and following up on that giving detailed advising people who are interested in courses available and how they can enroll. So our primary clients would be U.S. universities."
Jose Sanchez
"It's a high school level job, what kind of salary?"
Kathy Esquivel
"Well, the salary will be the usual salary for those entry type levels but it will not be below normal. We hope to pitch it a little above normal. And there's opportunity to progress and to move up the scale."
Esquivel says that the company is looking for people who have voices pleasant to the ear and have a good command of the English language.
News Five