By Cassandra Kirsch



Computer manufacturer Dell Inc. officially announced plans to hire 500 engineers in Central Texas alongside Gov. Rick Perry on Monday at the Capitol.

Michael Dell, Dell Inc. chairman, said that the company would immediately begin to recruit engineers from graduates at state universities, including UT. The desired engineer specializations are fairly broad, Dell said, ranging from mechanical engineers to audio technology engineers.

The expansion is part of the Dell 2.0 business plan, an initiative by the company to revitalize every element of the business, said Jess Blackburn, a Dell Inc. spokesman. The initiative includes continuing to improve design and customer satisfaction rates after some negative reviews over the past few years, Dell said.

Dell said although the company already has several engineering sites around the world, Austin provides the kind of environment ideal to the new expansion, specifically the quality of life in the city.

"We have our roots here in Austin; it was in Jester Room 2613 that I began this company," said Dell, referring to his college days at UT.

In December, about 400 students will graduate from the College of Engineering, said Ben Streetman, dean of the engineering school.

Dell's decision comes as good news for students hoping to snag a job in the area, Streetman said. He said about a quarter of graduates stay in Austin after graduation.

"It will be a pleasure for many to be able to take a job here in Austin," Streetman said.

Perry verified that no state funding is linked or attached to Dell's decision after concerns were raised at the press conference over Dell's reasons for choosing Central Texas over other facilities across the globe.

"This is the effect of making Texas a place where people want to expand and relocate their businesses," Perry said.

The influx of the engineering positions will drive up the overall average income for Austin due to the typically higher salaries of jobs needing specialized skills, said Nan Matthew, a spokeswoman for the Austin Chamber of Commerce.

"Ultimately, it takes the private sector to lead through investment capital for the economy to grow and create jobs," Perry said.

Dell Inc. did not announce plans to cut staff in any areas as a result of the additional engineers for reasons of overall growth in the company, Dell said.