Infosys Inaugurates Providence Digital Innovation and Design Center

Infosys joined Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo to inaugurate its Digital Innovation and Design Center in Providence and announced a partnership with the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) to build and launch the Digital Economy Aspirations Lab (DEAL) to enable and develop students for the digital jobs of the future. Infosys also announced that it has already hired over 100 employees in Rhode Island toward its goal of creating 500 jobs in the state by 2022. Since Spring 2017, Infosys has hired more than 7,600 American workers as part of its ongoing commitment to accelerate the pace of digital innovation for American enterprises.

The Providence Center, located at 75 Fountain Street, will help close the gap for design and human-centric skills in technology fields and enhance Infosys’ ability to provide digital technologies and breakthrough innovations at the intersection of industry and design for its clients. The center offers early-career designers and design graduates unique training opportunities with in-demand digital skills—including exposure to systems, platforms, strategy and organization domains—to make them more employable in today’s digital world. By studying everything from user-experience to how people interact with systems, these design-focused hires will be equipped to create 360-degree solutions to business challenges. Infosys’ clients and industry partners will likewise benefit from increased access to top-tier designers and subject matter experts.

“Critical thinking led by the practice of strategic design is key to building the world-class, human-centric solutions our clients need to accelerate their digital transformations,” said Salil Parekh, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys. “We are excited to inaugurate our flagship Digital Innovation and Design Center in Providence and continue our partnership with the state of Rhode Island. The demand for talent with strategic design skills will only rise, and Infosys is training American workers in these skills, keeping them and our clients on the front lines of innovation.”

“Infosys is a global leader in information technology, and I’m so excited that they’ve chosen Rhode Island as the home of their new innovation center,” said Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo. “In partnership with RISD and CCRI, Infosys will be helping train today’s Rhode Islanders for tomorrow’s jobs. Our state has some of the top designers in the world, and it’s a testament to the strength of our workforce that Infosys is looking to tap into, and further develop, our talent.”

“Infosys is pleased to announce our center and our partnership with the Community College of Rhode Island. This partnership aims to enable and develop workers for the ‘new collar’ digital jobs of the future. Together, Infosys and CCRI will design and launch DEAL, which will serve as the principal workforce development technology center for community college and industry collaborations,” said Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys. “DEAL represents the coming together of two organizations at the forefront of education and workforce development. Through education, training and exposure, these community college students will be enabled to enter and advance careers in the digital economy.”

"Today is an exciting day for Rhode Island,” said Rhode Island Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor. “Infosys could have selected any location for this new Design and Innovation Hub, but the company chose Providence in order to draw upon our state's deep pool of talented designers and to establish pioneering partnerships with our innovative higher ed institutions -- including RISD and CCRI. Infosys will be training the next generation of forward-thinking global design leaders and professionals right here in Rhode Island.”

“At Citizens Bank, we are making investments in design and digital capabilities so that we can provide a simple and frictionless experience for our customers both today and into the future,” said Mary Ellen Baker, Citizens Bank, EVP and Head of Business Services. “We believe in the power of collaborative ideation and have long worked with external partners, like Infosys, to help drive innovation in support of our strategic vision. Today’s inauguration of Infosys’ Providence Design and Innovation Center is a great moment for the state of Rhode Island because it brings together strong partners like the Rhode Island School of Design to help drive talent development to achieve the best design thinking and design skills.”

The Digital Economy Aspirations Lab will be housed at Infosys’ Providence Center, with plans to open more Labs at CCRI campuses and expand nationally. Infosys will form a joint task force with CCRI representatives from across the state to co-develop bridge programming to support pathways to four-year degree programs and enable community college students to pursue careers in information technology.

“We are thrilled to partner with Infosys to launch the Digital Economy Aspirations Labs, or DEAL, to deliver our students meaningful learning, relevant skills, valuable work experience, and access to professional connections necessary to pursue quality careers in the digital economy,” said CCRI President Meghan Hughes. “In Infosys, we have found a bold and visionary corporate partner who understands the talent community college students possess and recognizes the essential contributions community colleges must make to grow the digital economy and the middle class.”

Infosys previously announced a partnership with Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to foster the continued development of top designers at Infosys and explore new ways of solving complex challenges at the intersection of design, technology and industry.

Infosys’ commitment to education also extends to the company’s charitable foundation, Infosys Foundation USA. In Rhode Island, the Foundation has provided multiple grants for classroom technology and computer science training to teachers and schools. To date, these grants have reached 1,070 students, 29 teachers, and 14 schools across the state. The Foundation has invested in professional development (training) for teachers, hands on workshops for students, and new technology and teaching aids for classrooms, with an emphasis placed on underrepresented groups such as young women, African American, Native American, Latino, urban, rural, and autistic student groups.

Infosys has been approved for incentives under Rhode Island’s Qualified Jobs Incentive Act, the Rebuild Rhode Island program, and the state's First Wave Closing Fund.