Computer hardware company International Business Machines announced on Monday it will be bringing 500 jobs to a new computer information technology center in Buffalo, NY.
The new deal is part of an agreement between IBM and New York State, which includes bringing jobs to the Hudson Valley, according to Democrat & Chronicle.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo stated IBM will train current and future industry workers at the technology center and will focus on developing advanced software for health, energy, defense and other industries, Buffalo News reported.
IBM is committed to keeping at least 3,100 high-tech jobs through 2016, mainly in Dutchess County, as part of the deal, Democrat & Chronicle reported. The agreement includes the company adding 750 jobs in the semiconductor industry that were lost, mainly in Dutchess County, last year due to downsizing.
The agreement has received criticism due to several unanswered questions, particularly from people concerned about the possibility of IBM cutting jobs. The union which represents IBM said it didn't receive any guarantees that jobs won't be cut in New York, according to Democrat & Chronicle.
Dutchess County's comptroller Jim Coughlan praised the deal, but stated IBM isn't being more open about the agreement, Democrat & Chronicle reported. Coughlan made reference to IBM's computer system Watson in his criticism.
"It shouldn't take Watson to figure out the taxpayers' overall commitment to IBM," Coughlan said. "The state's overlapping deals IBM are not transparent and more importantly, there is no clarity."
The 500-job target is expected to be hit in the next three to five years, according to State officials. The officials added that IBM will focus on recruiting software engineer and research graduates from colleges in the Buffalo area, Buffalo News reported.
Gov. Cuomo made a statement about his future announcement involving IBM being the first main tenant of the Buffalo Information Technologies Innovation and Commercialization Hub, according to Buffalo News.
"From medical and clean energy innovation to now, cutting-edge software development, we are making strategic investments in emerging fields that will position the city of Buffalo and the entire Western New York region as a leader in the high-tech industry and a pioneer of new discoveries," Cuomo said.
