Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) plans to expand its operations in Arizona, for which it will invest over $300 million over the next five years. By 2023, it hopes to hire over 220 employees locally, to be able to fulfill the digital transformation needs of its customers. The global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, will continue to expand the reach of its STEM and computer science education programs in Arizona, by increasing teacher training and online content for students over the next two years. It already has a 780-strong workforce in the State, serving customers in the banking, healthcare, manufacturing, and utility space.

The hiring will be done majorly for the Company’s Phoenix Business Centre, which caters to over 50 customers across Arizona offering tech support in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and enterprise software. Talent will be hired for other client offices around the state as well.

Doug Ducey, Governor of Arizona, acknowledged TCS’ “continued support of local STEM education, which has been a priority in Arizona.” He considers TCS “a fantastic private sector partner” and looks forward to its continued success.

Sandra Watson, President and CEO of Arizona Commerce Authority, is thrilled at TCS’ initiative to “add to its already sizable presence in the state with the addition of more than 220 new jobs.” She says “This investment highlights Arizona’s thriving innovation ecosystem as well as our robust pipeline for technology talent.”

Meanwhile, Surya Kant, chairman of North America, TCS, is looking forward to tapping local talent “to help clients in their transformation journeys, and contribute to the growth of the technology industry in Arizona.”

He is also keen to “expand community engagement through STEM initiatives, to help nurture the next generation of local technology leaders in schools.”

TCS recognizes the need to expand STEM and computer science education in schools across Arizona and the US as it continues to hire local IT talent. While Arizona presently has over 9,713 open computing jobs, it has only 1,014 graduates in computer science in 2018, and just 30 percent of Arizona public high schools currently teach foundational courses in computer science.

STEM education programs by TCS witnessed its employees volunteering over 1,150 hours with national and local non-profit organizations, such as the American Heart Association, St. Mary’s Food Bank, and Toys for Tots. Over the past 40 years, TCS has partnered with more than a third of the Fortune 500 companies to help them digitally transform and grow their businesses. The multinational has been among the top two US recruiters of IT services talent, hiring more than 21,500 employees in the past five years.