IT center opening in spring
The Vermillion Technology Center expects to hire 200 IT workers after the Eagle Creek Software Services opens in May 2014.
The facility will be located west of the University of South Dakota campus near Walmart. Some of the employees will be USD students participating in the Information Technology Consultant Academy.
Eagle Creek’s Vermillion Technology Center broke ground Aug. 13, and the $10 million facility will be moving offshore technology resources to the Midwest.
“This is a good example of a global company acting locally,” said Simon Boardman, vice president of Marketing at Eagle Creek Software Services.
The Minneapolis-based company specializes in developing and implementing software services for clients such as IBM, AT&T Corporation, Department of Homeland Security and Visa. Eagle Creek is also working in a growing industry by developing mobile applications for its clients.
Eagle Creek is bringing IT services from countries such as India back to the United States and specifically is relocating them in the Midwest. They have offices in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
“The IT Consultant Academy furthers our mission to prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow,” USD President James Abbott said in a statement.
The academy is a three-part program with a four-course certificate to train the next generation of IT workers, and issues free tuition for qualifying students. Students also have the opportunity for a paid internship with Eagle Creek in Vermillion and successfully completing the internship will qualify for a job interview.
“I encourage (students) to get involved with the academy,” Boardman said. “We provide an opportunity to begin and learn how to work in the IT world.”
Luke Houlihan, development consultant at Eagle Creek and 2011 graduate of University of South Dakota, majored in computer science and software engineering. He said he chose Eagle Creek because there aren’t jobs like it in the region, because they are mostly on the west coast.
“It would have been nice if they had something like (the IT Consultant Academy) for me,” Houlihan said.
Eagle Creek is operating out of a temporary facility in the Beacom School of Business as they train employees and allow them to take on minor projects for clients.
“We are creating opportunities for people getting a career in IT, a career with a low unemployment rate and a career that has longevity,” Boardman said.
