Global software major Infosys on Monday said it would hire 500 Americans in US’ Rhode Island state in the next 5 years.

“We will hire 500 American workers in Rhode Island over the next 5 years where a design and innovation hub will be set up in multi-year partnership with its state,a said the city-based $10 billion firm in a statement here.

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Welcoming the IT firm, Governor Raimondo said the people were equipped and prepared to compete for the Infosys jobs.

“Infosys joins a growing local market of innovative, advanced industry firms that have chosen to plant a flag in Rhode Island where we have invested in higher education and job training,” he said.

The hiring in Rhode Island is part of the company’s announcement on May 2 to recruit 10,000 Americans by setting up four such hubs across the US to focus on new technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, user experience, emerging digital technologies, cloud and big data.

“The partnership with Rhode Island marks another important step for us in the US, as the state’s educational institutions, design-rich environment and economic development tools have positioned it competitively,” said Infosys President Ravi Kumar, as per the statement.

The new hires will include designers, design architects, specialists in information design and experts to accelerate the digital transformation of the company’s clients in the area.

“The partnership will also enhance our ability to provide design-driven, digital technologies in the country and enable innovations in the industry for our clients,” said Ravi Kumar.

The design and innovation hub will help fill the skill gap and offer designers and design graduates training, exposure to systems, platforms, strategy and organization domains to make them employable in the digital world.

Built on interdisciplinary collaboration, the hub will facilitate interactions between early-career designers, professionals and experts in architecture, engineering, data science and business consulting.

To achieve the hiring target, the company is investing in three other hubs at Indiana, North Carolina, Indianapolis and Raleigh in North America, which accounts for about 60 per cent of its export revenue.

The hiring of Americans is seen as a fallout of US President Donald Trump’s executive order on H1-B visas in April.