According to a number of sources inside Intel, this week the company laid off a significant number of IT workers in various divisions. The number of layoffs was in the hundreds, according to whistleblowers. Intel confirmed the layoffs, but declined to explain the reasons for the cuts or indicate the number of people who lost their jobs.
βChanges in our workforce are driven by the needs and priorities of the business, which we constantly evaluate. We strive to treat all departing employees with professionalism and respect,β the company said in a statement to The Oregonian.
The layoffs have been made across the company, including a 20-worker center in Oregon. One source said that the layoffs in Oregon were in proportion to what happened elsewhere. It is reported that the reductions also affected Intel enterprises in the United States, as well as an administrative facility in Costa Rica.
While Intel expects no sales growth in 2019, employees said the layoffs this week are not just about cutting costs: the move appears to reflect a broad change in Intel's approach to its internal technical systems. Intel has previously used several IT management contractors. According to an internal document obtained by The Oregonian, Intel will now outsource these tasks to a single contractor, Indian tech giant Infosys.
As the number of contractors has been reduced, Intel now requires fewer managers to supervise the respective hired workers. Information technology (IT) professionals do not typically develop new technologies, but play an important role in managing internal systems. Their work is especially important in technology companies such as Intel, which depend on IT professionals to ensure the security and smooth operation of systems.
This week's wave of layoffs is one of the most significant at Intel since 2016, when the company laid off 15 employees by laying off specialists or sending them into early retirement. At the time, Intel was preparing for a long-term downturn in its core business of microprocessors for PCs and laptops. Since then, the company has successfully expanded its presence in other markets, especially in the data center sector. At the end of 2018, the total number of Intel employees worldwide was 107.
Intel is now gearing up for a massive transition to the new 10nm manufacturing norms, with plans to build several multi-billion dollar fabs in Oregon, Ireland and Israel. Intel plans to create 1750 new jobs in Oregon over the next few years as the company builds the third phase of its huge Hillsborough R&D facility, called D1X.
Source: 3dnews.ru