Regina call centre closing, 266 to lose jobs

A Regina call centre is closing down in three months, putting 266 people out of work.

StarTek confirmed Tuesday it will shut down on March 1, 2009.

The company could not hire the people it needed for the centre, StarTek spokeswoman Susan Liehe said.

StarTek will be offering employees assistance with resumé writing and career planning, she said.

When StarTek Regina opened in 2003, a company vice-president said they had "long-term plans" for the site.

The company was given a number of incentives to choose Regina, including provincial grants and training subsidies worth $1.75 million.

It was also given a break on city property taxes, saving another $400,000.

Employee Hayley Mitchell said the office seemed to have a high turnover rate.

"It's not like a high-paying job where you have a huge amount of training or education," she said. "So, maybe it's a good reason to move on."