February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Just last week, Amazon.com, one of the largest online retailers in the world, announced its decision to base its European Systems and Network Operations Center in Dublin. The center, which expects to hire 25 employees, 70 percent of whom would be college graduates, within two years, represents a trend among companies toward seeking highly skilled outsourced labor.
The development has been music to some ears, such as those at IDA Ireland, a government agency whose job it is to attract such investment with financial and infrastructure help. In operation since 1969, the agency has been working to position Ireland as a top destination for companies looking abroad.
“We are at a global position where all the world’s top companies are in Ireland,” said Brendan Halpin, a manager at IDA Ireland.
Ireland, currently riding on a wave fueled by a Gross Domestic Product of