900 new jobs are to be created in the North over the next three years after GEM, a customer support operation, announced plans to almost double its workforce.
The company is being supported with £5.5m sterling of grant assistance from Invest Northern Ireland. GEM claims the jobs will add £14m annually in salaries.
GEM is a home grown Northern Ireland company established by businessman Philip Cassidy. A contact centre, it handles provides customer support services for online retailers, financial services and telecoms companies amongst others.
The company, which has operations in Belfast and Derry as well as Hungary, says it is targeting businesses in the south to support its expansion. It says there will be opportunities at all levels and is keen to attract university graduates.
This expansion will involve a new operation at a location which has yet to be decided.
The news will be welcome for the local economy. Northern Ireland's unemployment rate has increased from 4.3% last year to 5.1% according to recent official figures. 2,200 additional people signed on for unemployment benefits in January alone.
