A lagging economy isn't affecting plans for Hewlett Packard in Conway. HP leaders confirmed they are on schedule to open up next year. 40 employees are already working here in Arkansas and the company still plans to hire about 800 others.
The majority of those employees will come from right here in the state. Once Hewlett Packard decided to set up shop in Conway things took off. Construction of the company's new facility in the meadows office and technology park is moving forward.
The information technology company announced in June that it would hire 1200 employees, 40 are already aboard and even though the economy is bad HP expects to make good on its plans. "In the end it's going to reduce the cost to HP which is something you want to do in these economic times, so again, not an expansion a consolidation putting all our technical support under one roof, " says Fred Shannon with HP.
HP offers jobs in customer service and technical support. Arkansans will make up the majority of the workforce but members of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce are already courting potential employees from out of state.
"We have spent a couple of weeks on the road back in September going to other HP facilities selling Conway to some potential folks they will like to have move here," says Brad lacy with the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.
Lacy with the Chamber says right now the only way to apply for a position with HP is online through the Conway Development Corporation. Lacy adds the hiring process will not end once HP opens it doors, it'll take a couple if years to build up the workforce but the opportunities are there. "That's a great testimony to the economic development program in this state we're doing what we should be doing which is bringing job opportunities to Arkansas," says Lacy.
The $28 million HP facility is expected to be complete late next year and HP leaders say they'll be open for business in December. To apply for HP jobs log on to
www.developconway.org.
