New global delivery centre in Adelaide will expand company’s highly skilled digital workforce for Australian clients and contribute to region’s economic growth

Cognizant has announced its intention to open a new global delivery centre in Adelaide, Australia, and hire and train 1,600 newly created roles for digital engineers, graduates, and apprentices by 2026.

Expanding its Australia-based workforce will enable Cognizant to offer its local clients more direct access to highly skilled experts in software, AI, machine learning, cloud computing and data analytics who can help them solve their most important business challenges. This means clients will be able to better achieve their digital transformation goals, focus on innovation to grow new revenue streams, serve their own customers better, and reduce costs. A key focus for the Adelaide delivery centre will be helping Cognizant’s clients use digital technology to meet their sustainability goals, find a path to de-carbonization and be a solution for achieving a low-carbon economy.

The new global delivery centre will be located in Adelaide’s central business district, where Federal and state governments have recently invested close to $750 million to transform the city into a global destination for dedicated research, technology, education and innovation, and help develop new technology hubs outside of Sydney and Melbourne.

“I’m delighted to welcome Cognizant to South Australia as it opens its first Australian delivery centre, which will create over 1,600 jobs in our state’s capital and positively impact our local economy,” said Premier Marshall. “South Australia’s global reputation for world-class artificial intelligence, data analytics and machine learning are once again attracting some of the world’s largest companies to our state.”

To fill the 1,600 new positions, Cognizant will hire talent in the early stages of their career—as well as experienced professionals with digital technology skills. Cognizant has been assisted by the Global Talent Attraction Taskforce that was set up by the Australian Government to attract top-tier businesses and individuals. 

“The pandemic has led our clients to rethink their business models, prioritise digital, and seek onshore service delivery. Our new delivery centre will expand Cognizant’s expertise in cloud, IoT and AI to help our clients to adapt to new market conditions, sharpen their competitiveness and meet their sustainability goals,” said Jane Livesey, Cognizant CEO of Australia and New Zealand. “We are proud to partner with the government to recruit, train and invest in the next generation of Australia’s highly skilled digital workforce and contribute to the growth of the South Australian region.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the move was 1,600 votes of confidence in Adelaide’s and Australia’s economy.

“Between the investments we’re making in Adelaide’s CBD through to our national skills taskforce to attract skilled workers, Cognizant has recognised the opportunities Adelaide and Australia have to offer,” the Prime Minister said.

“Cognizant’s global hub in Adelaide will serve as a magnet for top talent from Australia and abroad. This is just one example of how our national Taskforce is supporting organisations to reach into global markets and attract skilled talent who will help drive our nation’s economic growth and bolster our digital, STEM and high-tech sectors.”

Present in the region since 2002, Cognizant Australia & New Zealand today serves more than 130 clients, including top Australian banks, insurers, retailers, communications and media companies. In the last few years, we have consistently strengthened in-country cloud, software and data engineering, with specialist capabilities to expand its digital business in Australia. including the acquisitions of digital leaders such as Collaborative Solutions, Contino, SoftVision and Servian in April 2021.

Today’s announcement builds on the company’s long-standing commitment to advance STEM education and improve social mobility—including new grants made by the Cognizant Foundation to address the underrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s private sector.