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U.S. contact center employment picked up in August, with a gain of 1,831 positions, reports CB Richard Ellis’s Labor Analytics Group, compared with a net loss of 513 jobs in July.

 

Among the new openings and expansions domestically are:

 

-- Charles Schwab & Co, Indianapolis Ind. (450 positions)

-- West, El Paso, Texas (380 positions)

-- AT&T (News - Alert) Richardson, Texas (300 positions)

-- Startek, Decatur, Ill. (300 positions)

-- NEW, Meridian, Miss. and Amazon.com, Kennewick, Wash. (250 positions each)

 

Meanwhile a big layoff—8,000 workers by Deutsche Telekom (News - Alert) in Germany—led to an unusual loss of nearly 4,800 positions overseas. On the other hand, offshoring openings and expansions continued with one center, Lone Star Global, being the largest single site going live worldwide in August.

 

These new and expanded contact centers outside the U.S. include:

 

-- Lone Star Global, Bacalod City, The Philippines (1,000 positions)

-- Western Watts, Davao City, The Philippines (700 positions)

-- National Receivable Group, Manila, The Philippines (600 positions)

-- Hartlepool Company Respondz, Sunderland, UK (500 positions)

-- Etelecare, Managua, Nicaragua (500 positions)

 

The recent financial turmoil has not hit the U.S. domestic contact center employment picture. Initial figures for September showed that 4,520 new contact center positions were created, up from 4,290 in August as opposed to 1,935 losses in September, down from 2,469 in August.