New company could bring jobs to the Triangle

Infosys will open its North Carolina Technology and Innovation Hub in Raleigh, and plans to hire 2,000 American workers by 2021 — giving career opportunities to UNC students.

The company, based out of India, is a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services. Infosys released a statement on Sept. 12 announcing that it would be expanding its company into the area.

Gary Miller, director of University Career Services, said in a statement that the Triangle is an appealing place for Infosys for a number of reasons.

“Chief among them are the lower cost of doing business compared to some other metropolitan areas and the presence of a lot of potential talent to fill employment opportunities," Miller said.

Arvind Malhotra, a UNC strategy and entrepreneurship professor, said in an email that the pool factor in this area is also important for Infosys, because entrepreneurial-minded students are just as important as designing and selling technology.

“We have students at the undergraduate level and graduate level who make great managers at technology companies,” he said. “They take initiatives and seek out business growth opportunities with a 'human' touch. At the graduate level we produce students that have technology/engineering based degrees, but also a management degree. They make perfect sense for any technology company.”

Neil Davis, a graduate student earning a master’s in computer science at UNC, said he is hopeful an opportunity in the IT field will open up for him.

“I heard that they were expanding their office in Raleigh, and they have previously contacted me over a service called Piazza about an interview opportunity,” he said. “So, I went to their booth to get an update if their job process was going to change for us since I last talked to them.”

Companies like Infosys opening in the Triangle give UNC an opportunity to showcase its students’ talents, creating opportunities for the state, Miller said.

“Any time companies move to the area, it creates additional local opportunities that benefit our graduates,” he said. “We are a very state-oriented place — obviously the majority of our students come from North Carolina. But, nearly 60 percent of UNC students stay in the state after graduation as well. So, the more companies that relocate to this area, the more such organizations have opportunities that allow for our students to stay here.”

Malhotra said students have to demonstrate initiative and self-starting capabilities in order to work for companies such as Infosys.

“They can differentiate themselves by highlighting their unique capability to manage and contribute to business and society simultaneously," he said. "They have to showcase their greatest ability that is the 'human' side of business.”

@tallmanboyd

state@dailytarheel.com