SYDNEY -- What a difference a year makes.
A Sydney call centre is now busier than ever and, on Wednesday, held its first job fair since the former owner was forced to closed the doors.
"As we all know, it was very dooms-like and was very down," said employee Wayne Sharpe. "This year is going to be a different Christmas; it's going to be a happy Christmas for everybody."
It was on Dec. 6, 2018 that hundreds of former Servicom employees lost their jobs abruptly after the company filed for bankruptcy protection.
The move put many in a financial hole and facing an uncertain future.
"We were kind of blindsided a little bit, so you didn't have time to ponder," said employee Dan MacInnis. "We had to scramble and do what we had to do. This year it's good to know we're going into the holidays with really good feelings."
Feelings that changed after Iowa businessman Anthony Marlowe bought the business and promised everyone their jobs back.
"Any potential issues that were happening in the past are no longer going to be with this business," said Todd Riley.
And Wednesday was evidence of that as the company said it plans to hire more than 100 new employees.
"Right now, we're up to 590, 600 mark," Riley said. "I'd say by the end of this month we should be around that 650 to 700 target we're looking to be at before the close of 2019."
Riley and the staff at the call centre plan to give back to the community and the local Salvation Army. It's an organization that was there for them in their time of need.
"One thing we decided this year is to really help out with the Salvation Army," Riley said. "We did a payroll deduction. We will be working with those guys this week. The estimated amount is anywhere between $15,000 and $20,000."
