Dive Brief:
- Infosys will hire 12,000 more U.S. workers over the next two years, bringing its total commitment to 25,000 over five years — including "individuals without traditional four-year degrees," it announced Sept. 1.
- As part of the hiring program, Infosys will also train and reskill hires through its Reskill and Restart initiative, which it launched in July.
- Infosys has opened six Technology and Innovation Centers in the U.S, including locations in Indiana, North Carolina, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Texas and Arizona -- locations largely outside of "traditional tech hub geographies," according to the press release.
Dive Insight:
The job market has begun its recovery from the sudden crash in March prompted by COVID-19 shutdowns, leading to announcements such as Infosys’. "Our commitment to creating 12,000 new American jobs comes at a critical moment as the COVID-19 pandemic has created economic turmoil," said Ravi Kumar, president of Infosys.
But this move also emphasizes a push across the tech industry to relax academic requirements to broaden hiring horizons. Some employers may be limiting their options by seeking out only candidates with formal degrees, a white paper from Alexander Mann Solutions noted in February. In response, more companies are offering upskilling programs specifically for workers not in a STEM profession, akin to what Infosys seeks to offer through its Reskill and Restart Program.
Job requirements may need re-evaluation, according to a February Chamber of Commerce Foundation report; many hiring decision makers value skills over degrees, despite credentials still being part of job requirements. A Qlik survey from September 2019 noted that most respondents see practical experience as a more reliable way to assess data literacy for hiring than a college degree in STEM or data science. Despite this, many employers may be behind in offering on-the-job training; half of those surveyed in the Qlik study said they don't offer workers data literacy training, and only 34% have these training programs in place.
