News Release Archive
PREMIER--ANOTHER 100 I.T. JOBS FOR NS
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A Virginia-based telecommunications service company is adding
another 100 information technology jobs at its Halifax office,
Premier John Savage announced at a press conference today. OSP
Consultants Inc. is doubling its workforce to 200 people, less
than one year after it opened its first Canadian office in Nova
Scotia.
Premier Savage, together with Economic Renewal Minister Richard
Mann and senior OSP executives, made the announcement at the
official opening of the company's offices. OSP's board of
directors held its first Canadian meeting yesterday morning in
Halifax.
OSP Consultants, Inc. is a leading provider of engineering,
design and construction services and personnel to the
telecommunications industry. OSP has a worldwide clientele that
includes telephone companies, long distance carriers, competitive
access providers, wireless carriers and systems integrators
(including MCI, Sprint, Bell Operating Companies, GTE, NEC,
etc.).
The Halifax facility supports OSP's project management and
engineering efforts associated with building fibre optic, copper,
coaxial, and wireless telecommunications networks worldwide. The
facility performs computer assisted drafting (CAD), converts
paper records to computerized records systems, provides digital
mapping, digital elevation modelling and RF propagation analysis
in support of these operations. OSP will hire additional project
managers, engineers and technicians for its Halifax expansion.
Premier Savage said, "Successful knowledge-based companies like
OSP are proving that Nova Scotia is emerging as an international
leader in the information technology sector." Other companies
joining OSP as part of Nova Scotia's growing information
technology cluster include Keane, Inc. of Boston and Newbridge
Networks Corporation of Kanata.
When it came time to expand OSP, four of the company's top
executives, former Nova Scotians, chose their native province
over other American or Canadian locations, citing awareness of
Nova Scotia's advanced telecommunications infrastructure and
well-educated workforce.
OSP Consultants, Inc. President, Sid Smith said, "OSP could have
expanded its operations anywhere in North America, but we chose
to come home. We believe our Nova Scotia office has the potential
to become a showcase for OSP's international operations."
Mr. Smith said that OSP has recently entered into a number of
strategic business alliances with specialized software
developers. "We believe these partnerships will place us in the
forefront of the industry's technological changes. We would like
to share these opportunities with the province of Nova Scotia by
expanding our Halifax facility by another 100 jobs to meet the
increased demand for our services in the telecommunications
market place," he said.
Economic Renewal Minister Richard Mann said, "OSP is employing
Nova Scotians in well-paying, technical positions, while
exporting 100 percent of its services to a national and
international client base. "OSP recruits much of its workforce
from the University College of Cape Breton, the College of
Geographic Science in Lawrencetown, Annapolis County, and the
Nova Scotia Community College, Institute of Technology campus.
The Nova Scotia Economic Renewal Agency will provide a
conditional contribution of up to $950,000 to OSP Consultants
Inc. for equipment and training costs. As with the 1995 start-up,
the company will not receive the funding until the jobs have been
created. Mr. Mann described the financial assistance as a
low-risk investment, based entirely upon the company reaching its
employment targets. An economic impact analysis conducted by the
Nova Scotia Department of Finance predicts that the province will
recover its investment within two years.
"OSP fulfilled its original promise of creating 100 jobs in year
one and now we're thrilled to sign a new deal for another 100
jobs," Premier Savage said.
OSP employs 1400 people and is affiliated with the Marmon Group
of companies, which employs 30,000. OSP is currently working on
projects in over 12 countries.
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Contact: Linda Laffin 902-424-6810
E-mail: econ.llaffin@gov.ns.ca
David Smith 902-466-6444
E-mail: osp_mgr@fox.nstn.ca
trp August 07, 1996 - 11:15 a.m.
