This morning, Accenture opened an innovation hub, with a commitment to add 800 technology jobs in Canada by the end of 2020 and expanding its apprenticeship program.
The new hub is designed to allow clients to work side-by-side with Accenture teams to ideate, prototype, and scale products and services. Three hundred of the jobs will be located within the Toronto hub, while 100 will be located elsewhere in the city. The rest of the jobs will be spread across Canada. Accenture also plans to add 100 apprenticeship jobs on top of the 800 tech jobs, dedicated to underrepresented groups including Indigenous youth and people with disabilities.
The professional services firm hopes to leverage emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and virtual agents to build products for its clients.
“Our experience working with global clients across more than 40 industries has shown that continuous innovation is an imperative to succeed in the fast-changing digital economy,” said Julie Sweet, Accenture’s chief executive officer — North America. “With our network of innovation hubs, we are bringing innovation to our clients’ doorsteps, enabling them to harness the power of emerging technologies to transform their businesses.”
Accenture’s hub in Toronto is part of a network of 10 hubs in North America, which are connected to over 100 Accenture locations around the world. Among Accenture’s almost 5,000 people in Canada, there are over 300 designers, data scientists, and innovators in located within the innovation centre.
“It is great to see that job creators like Accenture are getting the message that Ontario is open for business,” said Todd Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Our government is committed to creating an environment where job creators can continue to grow and thrive. I congratulate Accenture on this great announcement and thank them for investing in Ontario.”
“It’s an exciting time for technology growth in Toronto,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “The number of companies that have invested in the City is a reflection of the access to high-quality labour force, a committed business community and a government that embraces new opportunities. The Accenture Innovation Hub represents a new collaborative approach to business and technology collaboration. I’m proud to see this hub open in the heart of our city.”
Stefan Palios contributed to the reporting of this story.
