Dive Brief: 

• Accenture Federal Services (AFS), a subsidiary of global consulting company Accenture, is opening an Advanced Technology Center in St. Louis later this year that is expected to bring 1,400 new technology jobs to the area by 2025.
• The Advanced Technology Center — to work alongside AFS' other cyber/tech centers and studios in San Antonio, TX; Washington, DC; Niagara Falls, NY and Chesapeake, VA — is intended to provide U.S. federal government agencies with cloud, automation, artificial intelligence and cyber technology solutions.
• Business and civic relationships facilitated by local economic development organization AllianceSTL were crucial in AFS' site selection decision, AFS said in a statement.

Dive Insight:

The Advanced Technology Center will create 200 new jobs within the first year, AFS CEO John Goodman said at a Tuesday press conference, and comes at a time when Missouri is grappling with a 13.3% statewide unemployment rate. 

"Missouri is already recognized as one of the most prepared states for the digital economy, and at a time when many Missourians are looking for work, this move will create more opportunity, grow our technology workforce, and strengthen our standing as a technology hub in the U.S," Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said in a statement. 

The new center also adds to St. Louis’ smart city offerings. In May 2020, St. Louis became the first Midwest city to pass a Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) in an effort to eliminate the city’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. As part of that standard, buildings 50,000 square feet or larger will be required to perform a series of energy-saving actions. The building sector is responsible for about 80% of the city’s GHG emissions.

The BEPS announcement also follows the city’s release of its first benchmarking report for municipal and privately-owned buildings, finding that more efficient buildings could cut down on emissions by 11% and save over $65 million annually in energy costs. 

Beyond the city’s position as a climate leader, it is also carving a space for itself as an inviting place for tech employees to work and live. And while the top cities for tech workers are largely still traditional powerhouses like San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, those hubs are subject to change due to the pandemic.

A recent Hired report found that 53% of tech workers said they are "likely" or "very likely" to move to a more affordable city if their employers enact a permanent remote workforce, as seen at tech companies like Facebook, Square and Twitter.