Outsourcing IT jobs to… college towns?

Sometimes being economically disadvantaged is an advantage.

The conflict: More and more IT (information technology) jobs are being outsourced overseas because costs are lower, resulting in major job losses locally.

The transition: These IT jobs can be outsourced locally where costs are lower, but the talent isn’t nearly as concentrated in those areas as abroad.

The solution: Kathy White and her company, Rural Source, that links IT needs of major companies with large IT talent pools that she organizes in low-cost-of-living college towns, increasingly known as home-shoring.

The key short-term asset here is built-in affordability. What will really make this program work long term is if these towns can focus on developing a compelling vibe to keep those IT graduates in town – what’s a decent-paying job with no nightlife, entertainment and cool neighborhoods?

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neilkt