03 Sep Yahoo! brings technical support center to UW-Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wis. – This fall, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and New North will welcome Yahoo! to northeastern Wisconsin as they establish a student-staffed technical support center to Oshkosh.
The Yahoo! CareCenter, which is about two years in the making, will employ UW-Oshkosh students and provide technical support to some of Yahoo!’s 17,000 employees. Students working in the Yahoo! CareCenter will have the opportunity to work part time and earn $10,000 or more per year, which will more than cover their tuition costs. Initially, 20 students will be recruited, with 20 additional positions added as needed.
Steve Romme, interim director of the CCP, said the partnership will provide opportunities for students to get real-world experience working for a high-profile, cutting-edge organization. “We are looking for students who are critical thinkers; advanced computer skills aren’t necessary,” Romme said in a statement released by the university. “Students do need to enjoy problem-solving and helping people work through technical issues.”
According to UW-Oshkosh, the collaboration is the brainchild of alumnus Adam Kostrzak, senior manager of Yahoo!’s Global Service Desk, located in the Silicon Valley. Kostrzak, a 1997 graduate, thought of Oshkosh when strategizing a location he could partner with to build a student-run support desk location.
“Yahoo! did its due diligence and looked at several other universities around the country; however, UW-Oshkosh’s CCP is truly unique in the way it partners with companies,” said Kostrzak. “While other places said there were too many obstacles, CCP went above and beyond to make the partnership work.”
Kostrzak said lower costs and the quality of students were key drivers in the Yahoo! decision.
Three other such centers exist in California, New York, and India.
The CCP is currently soliciting student applications; for more information about the positions, visit www.uwopartners.org, call (920) 424-1453, or e-mail ccp_uwo@yahoo.com.