Atlanta’s job market just got a little better.
On Monday, General Electric began advertising some 250 jobs at the company’s new digital operations center. Gov. Nathan Deal, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and GE officials met Monday at the State Capitol to elaborate on GE’s plans to open the Midtown Atlanta center.
A permanent site has not been announced yet, but the center will be affiliated with Georgia Tech and is expected to have a $48 million economic impact.
Until a site is determined for the center, it will operate out of a GE data center in Alpharetta
Jim Fowler, GE Digital’s chief information officer, said the Connecticut-based company center will make a $3 million investment in the new Midtown center.
A range of jobs will be available — from engineers to service desk staff.
“GE is sending an important signal to other businesses that may be considering Atlanta or Georgia,” Reed said.
GE flirted with moving its national headquarters to Atlanta, before settling on Boston.
Reed then refocused on luring the digital operations center to Atlanta.
“When that didn’t prevail, we just kept working,” Reed said, adding that GE was impressed by the state and the city’s “big-tent” approach to cooperation and working together. “The governor and I hear that all the time.”
In figuring the nearly $50 million economic impact, Reed said the average salary at the center will be around $90,000.
Fowler added that Atlanta was attractive because of the colleges in the area, which creates an “abundance of talent,” the educational systems and Atlanta’s quality of life.
“We know that the recruitment of talent is crucial to the success of our economy,” Deal said.
