Two information technology companies, Montreal-based CGI, and Enquero, which has its headquarters in Milpitas, Calif., recently announced they will become tenants in 小蝌蚪APP 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小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president for Research, said the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP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.
小蝌蚪APP淭he 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 graduates are critical thinkers. They小蝌蚪APP檙e problem solvers, which is exactly what this rapidly changing industry is looking for.
小蝌蚪APP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,小蝌蚪APP said Kolluru.
小蝌蚪APP淲e are listening to industry. We小蝌蚪APP檙e not sitting in an ivory tower, thinking that we have all the answers. We小蝌蚪APP檙e asking our industry partners, 小蝌蚪APP榃hat are your needs and priorities? We小蝌蚪APP檙e also asking, 小蝌蚪APP榃hat are the tools and technologies you use? What approach are you taking in software development?小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP
The 小蝌蚪APP will use that feedback to develop courses that are tailored to companies like CGI and Enquero, he continued.
小蝌蚪APP淲e小蝌蚪APP檒l create customized degree programs to give our students a competitive edge.小蝌蚪APP
Some students will become interns. They小蝌蚪APP檒l help CGI and Enquero develop new digital products, such as computer software and applications, and visualization tools.
小蝌蚪APP淭he 小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP students and faculty 小蝌蚪APP will also help the industry unlock the power of big data,小蝌蚪APP said Kolluru. 小蝌蚪APP淭hat小蝌蚪APP檚 what the industry is interested in 小蝌蚪APP how to manage and use massive amounts of real-time data. That小蝌蚪APP檚 what小蝌蚪APP檚 driving our collaborative research.小蝌蚪APP
Kolluru said the 小蝌蚪APP 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小蝌蚪APP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. 小蝌蚪APP溞◎蝌紸PP researchers will help us find new solutions to technology problems that can be applied globally.小蝌蚪APP
Hemant Asher, a founder of Enquero, said its Agile Delivery Center in 小蝌蚪APP Research Park will help the company respond quickly to its clients小蝌蚪APP needs.
Enquero, which has 18 employees, has commercial clients in high-tech, manufacturing, retail and financial services industries. 小蝌蚪APP淎gility is the key. To be competitive, we must meet our clients小蝌蚪APP 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.小蝌蚪APP
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小蝌蚪APP檚 rich culture was also a draw.
小蝌蚪APP淭hese companies want to put down roots,小蝌蚪APP he said, 小蝌蚪APP渁nd there小蝌蚪APP檚 no better place in the world to do that.小蝌蚪APP