Southeastern Louisiana University to play vital role in producing graduates for global technology company
Friday, November 17, 2017
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University will serve as one of the lead higher education
institutions through a public-private partnership to meet workforce demands created
by the arrival of DXC Technology, the world’s leading independent Information Technology
(IT) services and solutions company, in southeast Louisiana.
The Virginia-based company recently announced it will establish a Digital Transformation
Center in downtown New Orleans where it will depend upon Southeastern and three other
higher education institutions to increase the number of degrees awarded in crucial
areas in order to provide a professional employment pipeline. The center will initially
hire 300 IT and business enterprise professionals in 2018, then increase to 2,000
jobs over five years and an annual payroll exceeding $133 million by 2025. DXC serves
nearly 6,000 major clients across 70 countries, and the New Orleans center will support
a global clientele.
As part of the endeavor facilitated by Louisiana Economic Development, the State
of Louisiana will fund a $25 million higher education initiative to meet workforce
demands and expand the number of degrees awarded annually in computer science, management,
science and technology, engineering and math, or other STEM-related studies.
Recognized as a leader among and one of the state’s fastest-growing computing
and information technology programs, Southeastern will collaborate with DXC Technology
to supply students for real-world experience internships, as well as graduates for
full-time employment.
“With enrollment that has more than doubled over the past decade, Southeastern’s
highly-regarded Computer Science and Information Technology programs stand ready as
pivotal partners in Louisiana’s growing technology sector,” said President John Crain.
“And, with a newly-constructed 70,000 square-foot Computer Science and Technology
Building, Southeastern is poised for continued program expansion.”
The new building encompasses modern, high-tech classrooms; specialty labs for
computer science; construction technology; material testing; machine and manufacturing;
automation and robotics; ergonomics; industrial hygiene/fire protection; electronics
and drafting, according to Dan McCarthy, dean of the College of Science and Technology.
“Add to that equation a committed, highly qualified and gifted faculty, and Southeastern
is well-positioned to develop talent that will meet the needs of the 21st century
economy,” he said. “Realizing that early interest in STEM fields can lead to even
greater student engagement, Southeastern is also reaching out to area high school
students to generate greater interest through its “Branching Out with STEM” program.”
With 130 current participants, the program introduces high school students to
STEM-related fields offered at the postsecondary level. For information on this program,
contact tturley@southeastern.edu.
“The fact that Southeastern was chosen to be a higher educational partner with
DXC Technology is a testament to our extraordinarily talented and dedicated faculty.
For years, they have worked tirelessly to prepare our students for the best jobs,
and this is why our graduates are so highly sought after,” McCarthy added. “This partnership
with DXC will allow us to expand our offerings and produce even more graduates to
help grow the digital economy in southeast Louisiana."
Southeastern’s College of Science and Technology currently offers nine undergraduate
degree programs with a myriad of concentrations, as well as two graduate degree programs.
The Computer Science and Information Technology programs are nationally accredited
by the Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology. The Industrial Technology program is nationally accredited by the
National Association for Industrial Technology.
Created in April by the merger of CSC and the Enterprise Services Division of
Hewlett Packard Enterprises, DXC Technology solidifies Louisiana’s position as one
of the fastest growing software and IT destinations in the U.S., following major projects
by EA, CenturyLink, IBM, CSRA, CGI, GE Digital and others in the past decade.
Patterned after prior software and IT initiatives in Louisiana, the DXC Technology
project represents the state’s largest single higher-education investment in a private-sector
workforce partnership.
