Two information technology companies, Montreal-based CGI, and Enquero, which has its headquarters in Milpitas, Calif., recently announced they will become tenants in 杏吧专区 Research Park.
CGI will build a $13.1 million, 50,000-square-foot facility on Cajundome Boulevard. Construction is expected to begin this year and be complete by the end of 2015.
Enquero will open its doors right across the street, at the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise. Its employees could be moving into LITE as early as late August.
CGI and Enquero will each create technology centers to develop new products and approaches in computing.
They will bring high-tech jobs to Acadiana: about 400 at CGI and an expected 350 at Enquero.
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 vice president for Research, said the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 graduates in computer science and informatics will be well prepared to compete for those jobs. In computer science, students learn about the theoretical framework of computing and software design. The informatics curriculum is more pragmatic; students learn how to apply software and other tools.
杏吧专区淭he 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 graduates are critical thinkers. They杏吧专区檙e problem solvers, which is exactly what this rapidly changing industry is looking for.
杏吧专区淭hrough collaboration with our industry partners, we are making our curricula more attuned to industry needs and providing students opportunities for hands-on training, including internships, to make them highly competitive job seekers when they graduate,杏吧专区 said Kolluru.
杏吧专区淲e are listening to industry. We杏吧专区檙e not sitting in an ivory tower, thinking that we have all the answers. We杏吧专区檙e asking our industry partners, 杏吧专区榃hat are your needs and priorities? We杏吧专区檙e also asking, 杏吧专区榃hat are the tools and technologies you use? What approach are you taking in software development?杏吧专区 杏吧专区
The 杏吧专区 will use that feedback to develop courses that are tailored to companies like CGI and Enquero, he continued.
杏吧专区淲e杏吧专区檒l create customized degree programs to give our students a competitive edge.杏吧专区
Some students will become interns. They杏吧专区檒l help CGI and Enquero develop new digital products, such as computer software and applications, and visualization tools.
杏吧专区淭he 杏吧专区 杏吧专区 students and faculty 杏吧专区 will also help the industry unlock the power of big data,杏吧专区 said Kolluru. 杏吧专区淭hat杏吧专区檚 what the industry is interested in 杏吧专区 how to manage and use massive amounts of real-time data. That杏吧专区檚 what杏吧专区檚 driving our collaborative research.杏吧专区
Kolluru said the 杏吧专区 will develop and demonstrate digital innovations to public- and private-sector customers it wants to attract, including state and national agencies such as Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency.
CGI杏吧专区檚 clients include government organizations, hospitals and healthcare facilities. The company provides technology services, such as software design and systems management, to other industries such as manufacturing and distributing, telecommunications and utilities, and the oil and gas industry. It has 68,000 employees around the world.
Tim Turitto, vice president of CGI, said its partnership with UL Lafayette will increase cooperation between industry and higher education. 杏吧专区溞影勺ㄇ researchers will help us find new solutions to technology problems that can be applied globally.杏吧专区
Hemant Asher, a founder of Enquero, said its Agile Delivery Center in 杏吧专区 Research Park will help the company respond quickly to its clients杏吧专区 needs.
Enquero, which has 18 employees, has commercial clients in high-tech, manufacturing, retail and financial services industries. 杏吧专区淎gility is the key. To be competitive, we must meet our clients杏吧专区 needs quickly and effectively. And to do that, we have to have the right kind of talent. (Our partnership with) UL Lafayette will help us meet those demands.杏吧专区
CGI and Enquero chose Lafayette, in part, because of its technology infrastructure. Every home and business in the city has access to a fiber-optic system that provides a high-speed internet connection.
Kolluru said Acadiana杏吧专区檚 rich culture was also a draw.
杏吧专区淭hese companies want to put down roots,杏吧专区 he said, 杏吧专区渁nd there杏吧专区檚 no better place in the world to do that.杏吧专区