FERRIDAY, La. — A computer technical support company is looking to locate in the area — if it can find enough trainable people, an economic development official confirmed Monday.

The company — which Buddy Spillers, president of Macon Ridge Economic Development, would not name — would employ about 400 people. It will not give specific information about wages, but about one-third of workers will be college graduates, Spillers said. To find out whether the area has enough qualified people, Macon Ridge ran an ad asking interested people to list their education level and computer experience.

Macon Ridge will also check with local employment agencies, Spillers said. Macon Ridge will compile survey results and forward them to the company as soon as possible. After that, said Spillers, &uot;it would be probably 30 days before the company could tell us to go forward or hold off on this project.&uot;

Site selection executives of the company will be in town later this week to visit with Macon Ridge officials, but no decisions on the facility are expected to be made that soon, Spillers said. The company trains its workers to answer customer questions for computer hardware and software companies.

&uot;If you buy a computer or software, you would call a toll-free number or visit a web site for help and it would roll over to a company like this,&uot;&160;Spillers said.

Spillers said the company is seriously looking at locating at one of two sites in Macon Ridge’s 12-parish area but would not say exactly where.

&uot;Although where we’re advertising gives you an idea,&uot;&160;he said, adding that Macon Ridge officials have been working on the deal for five months and last met with company executives in mid-May.