International IT services firm Accenture is creating a hub in Adelaide in a deal expected to crate 2,000 jobs for the city over the next five years.

South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, called the Accenture move a “jobs bonanza” for the state.

“Accenture’s Adelaide Hub will serve as a magnet for talented young people who will help drive our state’s economic growth and bolster our defence, space and cyber sectors,” Marshall said in a statement.

“The decision by Accenture to invest here is proof that South Australia is a major drawcard to international companies across high-tech and high-growth sectors.”

In preparation for Monday’s announcement, Accenture posted a list of possible jobs that will be available in the Adelaide hub. These range from cloud engineers and data analysts to full stack developers and security architects.

Chairman of Accenture ANZ, Bob Easton, said he was keen to see the global company integrate with the small capital city.

“Accenture is committed to serve as a key member of the local community, investing and working together with other businesses and educational institutions to assist the South Australian Government in meeting its economic growth targets,” Easton said.

“The Accenture Adelaide Hub will collaborate with Accenture hubs in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.

“These locations are connected to more than 100 Accenture innovation hubs and centres around the globe, bringing the best of Accenture’s capabilities, in advanced technologies, intelligent operations and cyber security to clients in Australia.”

Technology has not generally been a major feature of South Australia’s economy.

Professional, scientific and technical services accounted for only $5.2 billion of the state’s $107.9 billion gross state product in the 2018-19 financial year.

That year, the industry grew just 1.2 per cent – far below the national average of 3.6 per cent for professional and IT services.

South Australia also has an ageing population (median age of 40 years – three years higher than the national average) and suffers from the infamous ‘brain drain’ which typically sees young South Australians head interstate to start their careers.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, the state has seen a net loss in interstate migrants every year since at least 1997.

When Information Age asked Accenture how it planned to overcome this potential hiring hurdle, a spokesperson said the company welcomed “applications from everyone with relevant skills and experience”.

“Some of those people will move to South Australia, but many of them already live there,” the spokesperson said.

“Accenture has partnered with TAFE SA to launch a Cert IV in cybersecurity that will see talented young people locally have the opportunity to work part-time at Accenture while studying.”

The state government lured the tech giant to South Australia with a grant of an amount that an Accenture spokesperson said could not be disclosed as it was “commercial in confidence”.

Steven Marshall said the Accenture hub "will further bolster the state's high-calibre, high-tech community" alongside organisations that have setup shop in Adelaide's Lot Fourteen precinct.

Built on the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site in the heart of the city, Lot Fourteen is part of the state’s attempt to draw the attention of major local and international technology brands away from the Eastern states and already has a tech-focused list of tenants including the Australian Space Agency, the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, an MIT Living Lab, the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre, and the SA branch of ACS.

This goal of technology growth has been shared across state and local governments with the City of Adelaide hooking commercial premises up with 10 Gbps connections.