AT&T and CGI Create Job Opportunities for Texas Veterans

DALLAS and FAIRFAX, Va., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-five minutes from Fort Hood, Texas, where approximately 900 soldiers exit and retire from the United States Army every month, AT&T* and CGI Group Inc., (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A), a leading provider of information technology and business process services, are about to make life a little easier for veterans searching for work.   

CGI today formally opened its Belton, Texas onshore IT services delivery center, which will support the delivery of AT&T's Managed Network Services to corporate and government customers. The new center will give veterans an opportunity to apply the leadership, experience and dedication they developed during military service in a customer-facing environment.

The CGI center comes at a critical time for post-9/11 veterans in Texas, where the annual unemployment rate among this group averaged 13.5 percent in 2011¹. That's more than double the current Texas unemployment rate for the general population – six percent in December 2012.

The new 40,000-square-foot CGI building at the Belton Business Park was completed in December and offers IT services for both commercial and public sector organizations. Operating from a nearby temporary facility since November 2011, CGI already has hired more than 130 employees, more than 50 percent of whom are veterans or military family members.  CGI has a target of hiring between 350 and 400 professionals at the center by 2016.

"AT&T is committed to serving transitioning military and their families by connecting them to new job opportunities in their region. The location of the CGI center near Fort Hood was an important consideration in AT&T's decision to use the center to support the delivery of AT&T's Managed Network Services," said Paul Rosenbaum, Senior Vice President, AT&T Managed Services. "Veterans make up nearly 30 percent of the Fort Hood population. It offers a rich pool of candidates that understand and value teamwork."

The Belton Center is one of four CGI U.S. onshore IT centers providing full-service IT capabilities that meet strict security requirements. CGI invests in small U.S. communities to gain access to highly skilled local talent, creating quality jobs and growing technology expertise in America. Key to the success of CGI's onshore delivery model is strong partnerships with state and local government, economic development authorities and local colleges and universities.

"CGI sees increased demand for the kind of high-quality, cost-effective services we offer from our U.S. onshore IT services delivery centers," said Pete Ihrig, Senior Vice President and General Manager, CGI U.S. Enterprise Markets. "AT&T's selection of CGI and our center in Belton is proof positive – and demonstrates our collective commitment to creating good jobs for all Americans, particularly our veterans."

AT&T and CGI have various resources to help assist veterans and military service members in their transition to the civilian workforce. For more information, visit http://att.jobs/military.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI Group Inc. is the fifth largest independent information technology and business process services firm in the world. With approximately 71,000 members located in offices and global delivery centers in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, CGI offers a comprehensive portfolio of services including high-end business and IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance, infrastructure management as well as a wide range of proprietary solutions. Further to the recent acquisition of Logica, CGI's annualized revenue is in excess of C$10 billion, with an estimated order backlog of approximately C$18.3 billion; its shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB) and are included in the FTSE4Good Index. Website: www.cgi.com.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.  It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/aboutus or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

¹ Combating High Unemployment Among Young Veterans, The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee Chairman's Staff, May 24, 2012 

SOURCE AT&T Inc.