Information Technology services giant Infosys said in a press release that it would set up three innovation hubs in Australia and will create 1,200 jobs in the country by 2020.
The Bengaluru-based company had already developed similar innovation hubs in the United States – its largest market in terms of clients and revenues – and expects to recruit 10,000 local workers by 2019.
Infosys said “The creation of 1,200 IT jobs in Australia by 2020, of which around 40 per cent will be Australian university graduates from a range of fields including computer science and design,”
It added that the innovation hubs would serve as a bridge to help and support Infosys to co-create and co-innovate alongside clients, academic institutions and government departments to accelerate innovation and upgrading of talent in emerging future technologies and solutions.
Infosys said this step provides the company with a strong foundation to meet rising demand for expertise in areas like machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), user experience, cybersecurity, digital platforms, big data and cloud.
“Today marks an important milestone for our company in our 20-year journey in Australia,” Pravin Rao, Chief Operating Officer at Infosys, said.
As a key technology partner of Australian business, Infosys is proud to announce its commitment to accelerating digital skills in the region through the creation of 1,200 skilled jobs, the development of our innovation hubs and deepening partnerships with academia, he added.
Infosys, like many software and technology companies, has been boosting local recruiting in vital markets like the US, the UK and Australia to tackle increasing scrutiny around work visas by various governments.
This is also part of Infosys’ three-pronged strategy of focussing on stabilising the company’s business in 2018-19, build momentum next year, followed by acceleration in 2020-21.
Infosys said it had recruited 75 graduates, and more than half have completed their induction training and are ready to be placed on strategic client projects.
“Under this programme, graduates start their Infosys learning journey in our Sydney and Melbourne training centres. They can choose from high demand areas, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, user experience, cybersecurity, cloud and big data,” Infosys Senior Vice President for Australia and New Zealand Andrew Groth said.
So far, Infosys has opened two key innovation and technology hubs, one in Indianapolis, Indiana and another in Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States.
Infosys has also announced setting up of more such hubs in Hartford, Connecticut and Phoenix, Arizona, as well as a unique design and innovation hub in Providence, Rhode Island.
Of its projected target of 10,000 local workers, Infosys has recruited over 6,200 American workers since May 2017 in the United States. It is done to bridge the IT skills gap in the United States and to set up six technology-cum-innovation hubs across North America by 2022-23.
Global clients across the United States accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the company’s software export buisness and revenues annually.