Education at Work signing clients, adding jobs

CINCINNATI - Education at Work Inc. has signed its fourth local client and is close to landing three more accounts that could boost total employment to 300 by the end of this summer.

The Norwood-based nonprofit, founded by former Convergys Corp. CEO Dave Dougherty, employs college students to operate call centers. The part-time jobs pay an hourly rate of $9, but the jobs include access to a tuition reimbursement pool from which students can draw up to $6,000 annually. At Vantiv, students are working on site in the payment-processing company’s Symmes Township headquarters. Each student is assigned a Vantiv mentor to guide their professional development.

“We’re very excited to have entered into a relationship with such a dynamic financial services company,” said CEO Dougherty, in a press release.

“Vantiv is not only a leader in the payments industry but also in the community.  Our new agreement demonstrates Vantiv’s deep commitment to our region and the future of its college students.”

Dougherty started Education at Work in January, 2012 with the goal of hiring 100,000 college students nationwide by 2020. Cincinnati Bell Inc. and Macy’s Inc. signed on as early clients. The nonprofit’s first call center opened last July and has since hired 200 students, mostly from the University of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University, the College of Mount St. Joseph and Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. A total of $12,000 in tuition reimbursements have been paid by the nonprofit to date, said Tim White, vice president for business development at Education at Work.

Vantiv has about 1,300 employees at its northern Cincinnati headquarters, a spokesman said. The electronic payment processing company spun off from Fifth Third Bank in 2011.