CHICO — Milestone Technologies launched call center training for its first 100 employees this week, and announced plans to enlarge the Chico operation ahead of schedule. Milestone founder and CEO Prem Chand told the Enterprise-Record Friday that its plan to hire 230 for its Chico center has been expanded to 340.
The Fremont-based company solves technology problems for clients around the world, including companies like eBay, Facebook and Google. It employs more than 1,000.
“We knew that it was going to grow in scale, but didn’t know the growth in scale would be this quickly,” Chand said Friday in a phone interview.
“We’re ahead of plans in infrastructure, building and the hiring,” Chand said, crediting a September job fair here and the remodeling job Slater and Sons of Chico has done on Milestone’s new quarters.
Chand said he eventually planned to go beyond the 230 employees Milestone found through a September job fair hosted by Chico State University, along with online applications, but not until early in 2014.
“We’re adding 100 agents and 10 supervisors and Q&A people,” Chand said of the expansion.
Those first 100 hired are going through training now through next week.
“We’re live on email (questions) on (Nov.) the 4th, and on the phone on the 11th.”
He said there will be 140 to 150 to start on the 11th. More will be added by early December.
The company invested in remodeling the former 22,400-square-foot Build.com site at 282 Convair Ave. at the Chico Municipal Airport industrial park. That’s where the training has been occurring and where the company will be established as a 24/7 operation.
It also employs about 15 in the company’s first site in Chico.
Chand said there were so many qualified applicants during the September job fair and then in subsequent online applications that reaching 340 at the airport won’t be difficult.
A Chico State job fair planned 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 6 at Bell Memorial Union will provide other applications, he noted.
And he encouraged prospective employees to fill out applications online at www.milestonepowered.com.
The company’s website says: “24 days, 230 new hires, 1 contract center” in regard to Chico.
The first year’s payroll and improvements to the airport building represent about $10.5 million, according to the company’s website.
Original source can be found at ChicoER: http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_24392870/milestone-technologies-chico-expand-workforce
Reach Laura Urseny at 896-7756, lurseny@chicoer.com or on Twitter @LauraUrseny.
About Milestone
– Milestone Technologies, Inc. is a leading supplier of technology products and support services. From the desktop to the data center, the organization is focused on client success. When clients are able to serve their customers better and more efficiently, Milestone has accomplished their mission.
