A Billerica, Mass.-based company with offices in Scarborough will use a partnership with Southern Maine Community College and a $550,000 grant to train and hire 350 Mainers to do in-home tech support.

Richard Surace, senior vice president of operations for PlumChoice, told Mainebiz the partnership will allow Maine residents to gain certifications from Apple or Microsoft via a 72-hour training course at the community college. Once trained, new employees will work from home, earning wages of as much as $20-$30 per hour, Surace says. The grant from the community college system's Maine Quality Centers will allow Maine residents to take the $5,000 course at SMCC and the exam without any out-of-pocket costs, according to James Ortiz, president of SMCC.

Surace added the company hopes to train and hire the new workers by December 2011. The company, which provides tech support for computers and personal electronic devices, currently employs 125 in its Scarborough office.