Infosys sets up Providence Digital Innovation and Design Center in Rhode Island

Infosys has joined Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo to inaugurate its Digital Innovation and Design Center in Providence and entered into 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 digital jobs of the future. Infosys has 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.

The Providence Center, located at 75 Fountain Street, will help close the gap for design and human-centric skills in the 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.

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo says, “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. 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.”

Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys, comments, “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. 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.”

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.

Infosys previously forged 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.