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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

IBM-USC-Fluor Corporation Form Center for Applied Innovation in Columbia, South Carolina

11/21/2014
IBM, the University of South Carolina and Fluor Corporation announced the formation of the Center for Applied Innovation in Columbia, South Carolina. The Center will initially be located in existing facilities on USC's campus and is expected to move to a new office building in the Innovista Research District in 2016.

The Center will provide application services to both public and private sector organizations across North America with specialties in the areas of analytics and higher education industry solutions. As part of the initiative, the organizations will collaborate on tailored IT curriculums and advanced analytic techniques for personalized learning. The Center is expected to create 100 new jobs over the next five years.

As a partner in the Center, Fluor Corporation, global leader in engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction and project management, will serve as a strategic advisor, providing insight into emerging trends and requirements that will drive offerings delivered from the center. Fluor also has a major operations center in nearby Greenville, South Carolina.

"USC's strength in innovation, research and IT complements IBM's history of collaborative research to transform public and private institutions. IBM and USC will team to foster innovation on campus and off to help promote our strategic agenda to develop deep centers of competency around industry solutions,” said IBM Global Business Services General Manager of Application Management Services Cameron Art.

"Fluor is thrilled to be a partner in the Center for Applied Innovation as we build on our existing relationship with IBM and USC to create new opportunities for the region. We look forward to contributing to the center's growth as well as accessing the skills, tools, and processes needed to continue adoption of advanced IT solutions by Fluor, our partners and clients,” Fluor Corporation Chairman/CEO David Seaton explained.

USC also will be the first higher education institution to apply technology from IBM Research, piloted by Gwinnett County Schools in Georgia, and create a truly personalized learning experience for students and educators alike. Together, IBM and USC will build the technology foundation and data needed for personalized learning that improves outcomes for students and talent management for the university. As the partnership develops, USC will become an international center of competency for universities, and ministries of education using similar solutions around the globe.

By delivering application services to clients across North America, the Center is expected to create internships and permanent direct and indirect jobs for USC graduates and other local IT professionals. The Center will adopt common methodology and tools in use across IBM, better enabling the USC Center to provide the same operational benefits and efficiencies to its clients and enable collaboration with other IBM delivery centers.

"IBM and Fluor are two great South Carolina companies and it is extremely exciting to see them partner with USC to provide our students with the tools and training they need to successfully enter the workforce. Making sure our students are prepared for the thousands of highly skilled jobs coming to our state is one of the most important issues we are facing and why efforts like the Center for Applied Innovation are critical to the future of South Carolina,” said Governor Nikki Haley.

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