According to a top executive at IBM, the creation of some of the jobs that will help the nation get itself out of the current recession can be achieved by investment in technology.
Both local leaders and IBM officials agree that one area that jobs could be created is Dubuque, where they feel that their goals for the creation of energy-efficient and high-tech green-collar jobs are in sync with a project that is environmentally friendly.
Samuel Palmisano, the CEO of IBM said recently in a wall street journal article that through plans to improve the nation’s electrical credit and computerize its health care system more than 900 000 jobs could be created in the US. As a member of President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, Palmisano has considered the information technologies arena and over the last few months has put together an analysis of job possibilities in this area.
According to the article the number of workers needed as technology has advanced has in the past been seen to reduce but the presentation from Palmisano maintains that if broadband networks received a $10 billion investment in specific areas that 489 000 job would be created each year, a further 212 000 jobs would be created if $10 billion was put into computerized health-related IT and an investment of $10 into the US electrical grid would help create 239 000 jobs.
Plans to locate in downtown’s Dubuque Building is being pursued by IBM and this new global delivery center would bring in 1 300 new jobs. This facility would not help in the job creation process but would also help IBM to fulfil its environmental initiatives say local officials. The mandate from the Obama administration that all government data centers are to be converted into “green” facilities was recommended by Palmisano.
The president of Greater Dubuque Development Corp, Mike Blouin said “Our job is to help Big Blue meet its commitment as Big Green.”