NVCC hosted Infosys on November 12 to talk to the College’s Computer Information Systems students about career opportunities at the company, and specifically those becoming available at the 65,000 square foot Tech and Innovation Hub that it plans to open in downtown Hartford’s Goodwin Tower this December.  As part of a plan to hire 10,000 American workers within the next two years, Infosys, a next-generation digital services and consulting company, plans to launch innovation hubs in other small cities across America. The Technology and Innovation Hub in Hartford pledges to hire 1,000 American workers in the state by 2019, with 70 workers already working from a temporary space, according to Jeff­ Auker, a Tech and Innovation Hub Leader at Infosys.

NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. welcomed participants in her opening remarks, and said, "NVCC has accepted the challenge of preparing skilled workers for our 22-town service area. Preparing the right people with the right training and with the right job, we know that computer science supports the conduct of business in the 21st century. I thank Professor Sandra Eddy and her colleagues for organizing this meaningful opportunity for our students to hear from industry leaders.”

Auker and colleague Nanci Ferrari, a Practice Lead for Campus recruiting and Diversity at Infosys, led the discussion from Founders Hall on NVCC’s Waterbury campus with students at the College’s Danbury campus participating through a live-feed.

“We’re going to be partnering with the state and community colleges,” Auker said, “for the first time, we’re hiring associate degree holders in computer science.”

The Connecticut Technology and Innovation Hub will have a special focus on insurance, healthcare and manufacturing. It will bring Infosys closer to its Connecticut clients and serve as the global hub for Infosys’ InsurTech and HealthTech efforts. Infosys’ investment in Connecticut is a continuation of the company’s commitment to accelerate innovation for American enterprise by amplifying top local talent with the best global talent and shrink the IT skills gap in the marketplace. The Hub will include insurance and healthcare labs that focus on smart underwriting, claims fraud, IoT and Cloud, and will employ cutting-edge data security and data-sharing features to help Infosys clients comply with all applicable privacy laws while promoting innovation. Infosys will also leverage the Hub to train its employees and develop pioneering techniques with agile, development operations, cloud and information security projects.

Sandra Eddy, a Professor in the Computer Information Systems program at NVCC said, "It is so beneficial to have students interact directly with industry leaders.  Faculty and students take messages directly back to the classroom and learning becomes more tangible.  NVCC students want to make a difference in the workforce, and knowing what employers value is a critical component of this journey."

NVCC’s Computer Science degree programs prepare students for entry-level positions in computer information systems, cybersecurity, and computer crime deterrence.  They also prepare students for successful transfer to other institutions of higher education, including Charter Oak State College’s cybersecurity bachelor’s program and CSU Computer science programs. For more information, visit nv.edu/cis.