Eden Prairie-based
Eagle Creek Software Services is proving that bringing IT work back onshore can lead to great results—the technology services company reports 28 percent growth in its customer base this year, with more growth likely in the near future.
"Onshoring" is a term coined recently in the IT and consultancy realms to describe a movement away from offshore strategies, which tend to move numerous tasks to other countries.
Although plenty of companies still push work out to nations like China and India, an increased focus on local resources looks like it could be the next big trend, and Eagle Creek's success is an indicator that the tactic can work well.
"Our growth is positioned around public and private partnerships in the Dakotas," says Ken Behrendt, president of Eagle Creek Software Services. "With a business-friendly state like South Dakota, and an energized university system, Eagle Creek is positioned to thrive by bringing corporate America what they so desperately need—a scalable and reliable workforce."
The company calls its strategy the "Dakota Model." Working with government agencies as well as the University of South Dakota, Eagle Creek will create about 1,000 jobs in technology centers around the state over the next five years. The company is building a $10 million technology center in Vermillion, South Dakota, and plans to staff it with students who graduate from the IT Consultant Academy at the university.
This move will triple the company's number of consultants, and put Eagle Creek in a strong position both regionally and nationally.
Source: Ken Behrendt, Eagle Creek Software Services
Writer: Elizabeth Millard