India's second largest software exporter Infosys said that it will open next year a technology and innovation hub in Raleigh, North Carolina in the US, which will occupy over 2,000 local employees over the next four years.
Infosys is continuing the strategy by former chief executive officer Vishal Sikka of hiring over 10,000 local workers in the US, as it looks to deepen the relationship with clients and deliver digital services that need local resources. So far, Infosys has hired over 1,200 local workers in the US.
The new technology and innovation hub to open in early 2018, will occupy 60,000 square feet in a new facility in Raleigh that has the capacity to house 500 workers.The company plans to hire the first 500 workers in Raleigh innovation hub within two years, with the remainder to be hired in the state by 2021.
“The North Carolina Technology and Innovation Hub is part of Infosys’ investment in the future of the US tech workforce and will focus on delivering cutting-edge solutions in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data and advanced analytics, cloud and big data,” said Ravi Kumar, president and deputy COO, Infosys in a statement.
Infosys is replicating a successful model in the US that it built in India of hiring fresh graduates from colleges, train them in an intensive course and depute them on projects. The new hires in North Carolina include recent graduates from the state’s network of colleges, universities and community colleges, as well as local professionals. As part of Infosys' commitment to growing 2,000 jobs in the state of North Carolina, the company is partnering with the North Carolina Community College System to create a customised program designed to train the workforce of the future.
“Innovation, technology, and education are part of who we are as North Carolinians, and along the course of this project, Infosys leaders have found that to be the case every step of the way,” said Governor Roy Cooper.
Besides the skill enhancing initiatives, IT major's charitable foundation, Infosys Foundation has provided multiple grants in North Carolina for classroom technology and computer science training to teachers and schools. To date, these grants have benefited 4,220 students across 82 schools, involving 92 teachers, it said.