IT services company Datacom has committed to developing an IT hub in Adelaide South Australia's capital, Adelaide. The undertaking will provide training and employment opportunities for an economy that is transitioning from traditional manufacturing.

According to Datacom CEO Jonathon Ladd, the development will be instrumental in supporting technology evolution in the region, and was possible largely due to strong local support.

“South Australia presented an ideal location to expand our local operations due to a willingness from our local partners and the South Australian Government to explore innovative business models,” Ladd says. “These new models of delivery strengthen the ties between education and industry, and provide further new opportunities for young Australians to get ahead in technology.

Datacom already has an existing investment in the region that employs more than 100 staff, and this venture will build upon that.

The State Government will contribute more than $5 million from its Economic Investment Fund to ensure the new development goes smoothly over the next six months. The State run Investment Attraction South Australia initiative worked in parallel with Datacom on the expansion, aiding the company through their selection of possible sites.

Investment Attraction South Australia, established in 2015 to better understand investor needs in the region and develop industrial solutions to attract investment to the area, convinced Seattle-based tech company Buddy Platform to establish its Australian headquarters in Adelaide – citing the advantages of Adelaide as a tech city.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill affirms the new development shows the local government's emphasis on supporting new investment opportunities in the region.

“We have been aggressively pursuing businesses like Datacom to set up in Adelaide and take advantage of our low cost, low taxation environment,” Weatherill says. “Hundreds of skilled IT jobs will be created at the site, with training and work opportunities to be delivered side by side.

According to Datacom, when fully completed, the new investment will accommodate more than 600 full-time staff, while also building on existing vocational training services, providing pathways for graduates.