HICKORY, N.C. -- Work is already under way at the customer service center for Fiserv in Hickory.

By next spring, the company, which is the world's leading provider of online bill paying and banking services, will have hired many people who haven’t had a job in some time.

Michael Wells, who has been out of work for more than a year, went to the company’s information meeting on Wednesday. "It's been a long time, and I'm just hoping God opens some doors for me," he said.

Wells has plenty of company. The Hickory metro area has seen double-digit unemployment for much of the year.

Many of the jobs losses in the furniture and the textile industries have not come back.

"What we're seeing is people are having much more difficulty re-entering the job market than we've seen in the past recessions," said Alan Mackie of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.

Fiserv is expected to hire more than 400 people during the next three years. Wednesday’s meeting, the first of four meetings the company is holding at Catawba Valley Community College with prospective employees, was standing room only.

Eyewitness News asked why they picked Hickory.

"It’s great weather. There are good opportunities here, and there's a very large pool of applicants we could draw from," said Lori Stafford-Thomas of Fiserv.

During the meeting, jobseekers learned the company will transform a building at McDonald Crossings into a customer service center by next year, complete with work areas, a cafeteria and recreation room.

For many, the meeting gave them something many need right now -- hope.

"I'm really excited to apply, and I hope I get the job. I look forward to working with them," said jobseeker Robin Wagner.

"I'm excited. I'm ready to apply online right now," said Gina Ortiz.

The additional information meetings will be Wednesday night and Thursday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the community college. You must preregister by calling 866-424-0097.

The Fiserv jobs will pay on average a little more than $25,000 a year, excluding benefits.

For more on Fiserv jobs, click here.