(Host) IBM says it’s hiring 100 people for full-time, long-term manufacturing jobs at its factory in Essex Junction.
VPR’s Ross Sneyd has more.
(Sneyd) IBM says the jobs are part of its "supplemental" work force.
That means they’re not permanent. But they could last three years. And they could be extended, or the new employees could be moved into permanent jobs.
IBM’s Jeff Couture says more staff was needed because sales are picking up for smart phones, GPS, wireless and other devices.
(Couture) "The demand for our chips has increased by the number of companies that we do business with. So it really does reflect the capability and unique technology that this facility in Vermont provides."
(Sneyd) IBM has begun searching for people to fill the jobs.
The company says it will hold two job fairs. One will be held Monday at IBM’s offices in Essex Junction. The other will be held Tuesday at the state Labor Department office in Burlington.
IBM says about three-quarters of the jobs will be in semiconductor manufacturing. The rest will be in repair and maintenance of the manufacturing line.
IBM’s announcement is one of the few bright spots in recent weeks in Vermont. But Couture says he wouldn’t want to overstate the significance.
(Couture) "It’s a competitive business. It goes up and down. So it’s a combination of having a competitively priced product but also having a kind of technical capability that can help us stand out and win new work in the worldwide marketplace for these parts."
(Sneyd) IBM has traditionally been one of Vermont’s largest manufacturing employers. But the company no longer releases how many people work at each of its facilities.
For VPR News, I’m Ross Sneyd.
Application information is available on IBM’s jobs site. The job listing number for manufacturing operator positions is STG-0237546. The maintenance technician job listing number is STG-0245155.