HP To Add 200 New Jobs To Conway Facility

Gov. Mike Beebe (D) and representatives of Hewlett Packard announced 200 new jobs in Conway less than six months after the technology giant laid off around 500 in Arkansas.

The 200 jobs will largely involve software engineers, business analysts, and managers. Company officials said the jobs were related to HP’s government and health care IT sectors across the U.S.

“The skill level of these jobs, the salaries and the field of expertise all prove that Arkansas’s workforce can compete for high-quality jobs and adjust to the changing demands of HP’s market,” Beebe said.

Current employment at the HP facility in Conway stands at between 600 and 700 before the addition of the new jobs, according to HP.

The state of Arkansas has been working with HP to “clawback” several of its incentives offered to the tech giant after the July layoffs were announced. AEDC Grant Tennille said those efforts continue today.

The state’s incentives are dependent on HP reaching an employment goal of 1,000 workers to receive all of the economic development credits.

At a press conference to make the announcement, HP officials said they did not know the average salary of the new jobs, but they would be higher than the $40,000 average of originally announced jobs when HP first came to Arkansas in 2009. The salary ranges for new employment would be “competitive” in the market place nationally.

“The fundamental reasons we were excited about this project five years ago have not changed. Conway has a quality workforce. HP has the wherewithal to withstand the ebbs and flows of the global economy. Today is a great example of Conway and HP succeeding together,” said Conway Mayor Tab Townsell.