These jobs often go overseas. One company is bringing them to rural America

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Provalus, an outsourcing company focused on IT and business services, is creating hundreds of jobs in rural American towns by offering positions typically offshored to countries like India or the Philippines
• With a 35–40% annual revenue growth, Provalus is currently recruiting for 250 open roles, primarily in places with low average incomes, such as Tahlequah, Oklahoma
• The company’s model is attracting attention as hiring slows nationally

🔭 The context: Outsourcing has long been associated with job losses in U.S. manufacturing and services. Provalus reverses that model by investing in underserved domestic communities
• Its rural workforce handles tasks such as cybersecurity monitoring and insurance claims processing—fields with rising demand and technical skill requirements
• Founded in 2017, the company is part of Optomi, a staffing firm with a broader focus on tech workforce development

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Investing in economically distressed communities aligns with the social dimension of sustainability, helping address regional inequalities and offering alternatives to urban concentration
• By training local talent in digital skills, Provalus contributes to inclusive workforce development and reduces the carbon footprint associated with international outsourcing
• The model also builds economic resilience in areas that typically lack access to high-growth industries.

⏭️ What's next: Provalus plans to open new service centers across rural America and expand partnerships with corporate clients seeking to localize parts of their operations
• The firm is also investing in upskilling programs, providing workers with pathways into cybersecurity and other future-proof sectors
• As companies reevaluate supply chain and labor strategies post-COVID and amid global instability, models like Provalus’s may gain traction as a domestic alternative to offshore outsourcing

💬 One quote: “We go where people need us. And we’re showing that the next generation of tech talent doesn’t have to come from big cities or abroad.” – Chuck Ruggiero, President, Provalus

📈 One stat: Provalus has grown revenue by 35–40% annually, while maintaining a strong presence in towns where median household incomes are up to 30% below the national average.

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