From staff repports

The addition of a second shift will add 100 jobs at T-Mobile’s National Returns Center in LaGrange and the company hopes to fill the positions with a three-day job fair next week.

Todd Lewis, director and general manager, said the NRC, which refurbishes cell phones, currently has about 240 workers at the 210 Wiley Road faciilty.

“We are adding a second shift to continue to support our retail locations and position ourselves to launch exciting new progress for our customers,” Lewis said Thursday in a telephone interview from T-Mobile USA headquarters in Bellevue, Wash., where he is undergoing training and working on plans for the job fair.

T-Mobile has more than 40,000 employees across the U.S. and was recently named one of Fortune magazine’s “Top 100” companies to work for, Lewis said.

Recruitment will be next week at the Callaway Conference Center of West Georgia Technical College at 220 Fort Drive. Monday hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday’s from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.,and Wednesday’s from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The company will be hiring for a number of positions, including distribution supervisor, database developer, parts coordinator, production coordinator, distribution leader, utility clerk, technical operator, inventory specialist, inventory clerk, quality assurance inspector, forklift operator, kitting clerk, distribution specialist, receiving processor and maintenance technician.

Wages are expected to range from $9.23 to $14.81 an hour, depending on the position. Benefits packages can include child care subsidies, tuition assistance and more.

Lewis said the company is “very proud” of its LaGrange facility, opened in 2002. It has a cyber cafe, television lounge, indoor and outdoor break area and includes a 100,000-square-foot production area and another 30,000-square-foot administrative section.

“We are active in the community and fully committed to LaGrange,” Lewis said.

A recent job fair held by Kia supplier, Sewon America, attracted more than 3,000 people, and T-Mobile understands there is likely to be “a lot of interest” in its openings. The jobless rate topped 10 percent in Troup County in January and LaGrange’s rate was more than 14 percent.

“We expect a good crowd and believe we have the resources to be prepared,” Lewis said.

Applicants may attend next week’s job fair or visit the company’s Web site at www.t-mobile.com/jobs for more information about the positions. For more information about the recruitment, call the state Labor Deparetment’s LaGrange Career Center at (706) 845-4000.

Ed Hall, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Labor, said his organization preparing to assist with the job fair.

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