IBM begins recruiting for new Dublin centre

THE US computer group IBM is to begin recruiting staff for its new Dublin support centre immediately.

IBM confirmed yesterday that it was to create 750 jobs in Blanchardstown, and said it would open for business with about 200 staff at the start of October.

The company refused to reveal the size of its investment but said it would spend a total of 150 million (£95 million) this year to set up the Dublin operation. In addition, it would maintain and expand its other six help centres worldwide.

Based on IDA Ireland's average cost per job in internationally traded services, the agency will pay IBM about £7.5 million in grants but this amount is likely to be boosted by a further £2 million in training grants.

A 42,000 sq ft unit at Blanchardstown was completed recently and logistical staff from IBM have already begun work on the project as the group has to have the centre up and running by the autumn.

The new centre will offer customer support for IBM personal computers and staff will deal with telephone calls from Europe, North America and other areas. The centre will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and will handle an average of about 7,000 calls a day.

Just over a year ago, IDA Ireland lost out on an IBM in vestment when the company decided to set up a pan European call centre in Greenock, Scotland. Almost a decade ago, the IDA made a strong bid for the IBM manufacturing plant which eventually created 2,000 jobs at Greenock.

The Scottish call centre currently employs 350 people. IBM announced yesterday that a further 250 new jobs are to be created at that facility.

The vice president of IBM's PC company customer support and services division, Mr David Williams, said that Greenock would now handle European corporate inquiries, while customer calls would be dealt with in Dublin.

IBM wants to recruit graduates with language skills for the Dublin operation and hopes that some Irish emigrants may be tempted to return to take up positions with the company.

Asked how much staff would be paid, Mr Williams replied that salaries would be competitive for graduate employment. "We will be investing a lot in developing the skills of these people, so we'll pay market rates so we don't lose them," he added.

The first batch of employees for the new operation will be recruited within a month and will travel to Greenock for on the job training during a six week induction period.

IBM currently employs 500 people in Ireland, while a further 450 are employed in its sister company, Lotus, which is based in Santry, north Dublin.