Asustek to hire more workers

With high tech companies beginning to report their third quarter results, it appears that the global economy is warming slightly from its previously gloomy conditions, and recent stirrings within Asustek Computer indicate that the local PC giant is also partaking in the positive market momentum, which in turn, can mean more jobs for Taiwan locals.

According to sources close to Asustek, the company's third quarter notebook, netbook, and motherboard shipments improved significantly from the previous quarter, exceeding the company's previous forecast, despite tight component supply. Now with the release of the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, Asustek chairman Jonney Shih is also very optimistic about growth momentum in the fourth quarter and 2010.

Perhaps even more important news to many observers in Taiwan are reports that Asustek has begun looking to hire more workers. The company has started soliciting applications to fill needs in its R&D and marketing departments, sources close to the situation revealed. The sources explained that in response to warming market conditions, Asustek has lifted a freeze on hiring that has been in effect since the end of 2008. Various departments are set to benefit, including the company's handheld business groups, its parts and components business group and its systems group. The sources elaborated by noting that Asustek's graphics card, notebook and handheld device businesses need more staff. The company is also desperately short on engineers for its communications business, as well as sales and marketing personnel.

The company confirmed that it will hire according to business needs, while commenting that new hires are not refilling positions from previous workforce cuts, but rather fulfilling its regular manpower demand in each business.

Hiring plans will be released by the end of October or early November, and the company will begin interviewing for a total of more than 70 job openings. While 70 new position at one of Taiwan's largest IT companies may not seem that noteworthy, the very fact that Asustek is ending its hiring freeze will be welcome news in Taiwan. This year the unemployment rate hit a record 6.13% in August, and that marked the fourth consecutive month of a rising unemployment rate. However, the sources indicated that despite the high unemployment rate, a number of high technology companies have slowly been seeing an increase in their manpower requirements since June of this year and the hiring freeze that has gripped the economy since the end of last year has started to ease, albeit only slightly.

Taiwan's unemployment rate did slide to 6.04% in September, though the jobless rate was still much higher than the 4.27% reported during the same period one year ago.

Any market pickup for Asustek is also likely to benefit workers in China. Conservative estimates by the previously cited sources indicate Asustek's manufacturing subsidiary, Pegatron Technology, also has a gap of about 500 staff at its manufacturing facilities in Suzhou, China.

That gap was actually up to around 1,000 workers recently, but Pegatron raised its starting monthly salary to 850 yuan (US$124) in order to attract more locals. That salary (with benefits included) would rise to about 2,200 yuan once the workers passed their trial period and became full-time employees.