Company Need
In January 2013, the Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) received a call from Deloitte Consulting LLP stating that they were conducting location analysis on the Orlando area for a client. (It was only later revealed that they were representing their own upcoming expansion). The company was seeking a location to consolidate two other facilities in the United States as well as restore information technology jobs from overseas. It was vital to Deloitte that the location selected provide both the best and brightest (as well as largest) talent pool in which to choose from.
Orlando’s Competition
Deloitte originally looked at nearly 400 locations across the nation before short-listing four prominent communities (Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Phoenix, AZ; and Orlando, FL). The company ultimately selected Orlando based on the sizable workforce to choose from and the amount of collaboration and support for the business community.
Solution
The client visited the region on the same day as a previously scheduled Partnership board meeting. Therefore, the Partnership’s project manager invited the client to the board reception held during an Orlando Magic basketball game to meet one-on-one with executives in the region to learn more about doing business in Orlando.
The Partnership then brought together all of the representatives from the region’s universities and colleges with Deloitte in order strategize best practices for working closely together, including creating customized curriculum that reflected the new jobs coming to the region. Deloitte noted the type of coordination that occurred between the schools, realizing the importance of creating a collaborative environment of businesses and schools working together to ensure talent is grown and remains in the Orlando region.
Results
In July 2014, Deloitte began its operations in the Orlando region. Deloitte is now working with the University of Central Florida (UCF) to create tailored internship and Cooperative Learning (Co-Op) programs for students, similar to the types of programs in place for other employers in the region, including both Lockheed Martin and Siemens Energy.
- 1,850 new jobs over 4 years
- Capital investment of $59 million
- 225,000 square-foot facility
Partnerships and Collaboration
The Orlando Economic Partnership partnered with Seminole County, the City of Lake Mary and the Florida High Tech Corridor Council on the project. In addition, CareerSource Central Florida, the University of Central Florida, Valencia College, Seminole State College and Seminole County Public Schools also collaborated on this project.
Access to skilled workers – especially in areas such as business, HR, IT and systems engineering – and proximity to well-respected educational institutions make the Orlando area an optimal location for our Delivery Center.
Bert Naquin, Director, Deloitte
