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KWCH Building You
Building You: More job opportunities to work from home

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas is seeing more job openings that allow people to work from home.

“That’s really exciting. Some of those wages range between $11 and $18 an hour, so that’s a very good opportunity for somebody who maybe needs to stay home and take care of children, does not want to go work in the public due to COVID concerns or other flexibility issues with scheduling,” said Amanda Duncan, vice president of the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed how some people work each day.

For nearly a year, working from home has become a new normal for Ryan Perry, director of customer care for Cox Communications in Wichita.

“I take the kids to school every day. I get to help my wife out more. I, honestly, get to spend more quality dad-time with my kids, so that’s probably what I enjoy most,” said Perry.

He said many on his team support working remotely.

“We’ve had an overwhelming amount of support from our employee base that wants to remain working in a virtual home environment,” said Perry.

Cox is hiring for more people in their call centers. They are looking for customer account specialists and customer experience associates.

“We take care of our employees. That’s going to translate to relationships that we have with our customers. We really look for and are attracted to candidates that are enthusiastic, that are eager to learn, who are highly engaged in the work that they do. And, who also have a desire to partner with their peers, to build those relationships, as well as, with their leaders. That way we can grow,” said Perry.

Cox hires between 150 to 200 people for their call centers each year.

With more people working or learning from home, services like those provided by Cox have become essential.

“This year has really showcased our investment in our network, and how important that is, and our ability to adapt quickly,” said Mandy Wilbert, senior manager of public affairs in Kansas for Cox Communications. “Internet has become incredibly important and it’s definitely something that is a necessity for most people to live and work now.”

With continued efforts to keep employees and customers safe, working from home may continue to be an option for the future.