For the past 4 months I have been living in Eagan MN in an attempt to both further my career and provide for my daughter. The time has been difficult for one reason and one reason alone, I am far from Kylie. Though I talk to her almost daily and am surrounded by pictures of her, I am not able to hold her. Though I knew this would be hard, it has proven to be much more difficult than I had anticipated. As my time here in MN draws near its end I find myself with many questions on my mind, the most dominant one being what next? Although I am told that I will have a job to return to in MI, when I ask what that job might be, the answer that I receive is “We don’t know.” I find this very disheartening, and yet I must go along with it. Yet I am also faced with another problem, this one being that MN is beginning to feel like home. And why should it not? When this is all said and done I will have been here for half a year, and being in one place that long will easily make it feel as such. The only thing missing, is my daughter. Yet I have found myself kicking around the idea of potentially staying out here, and admittedly it has a lot to do with my work. The following article is taken from the Thomson web site, and can be found here.
Thomson Looks to Expand on its Eagan Campus
$100 million project to add 2,000 jobs
Eagan, Minn. 01/24/2007
The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) announced today its intention to expand its facilities on the Thomson West Eagan campus to include a new office building and data center. Thomson expects the new office space will house 2,000 additional employees by 2012.The expansion will add approximately 425,000 square feet of office and 80,000 square feet of data center space to the campus, and represents a capital investment of more than $100 million, to be paid over two years. The new office space will house technology, finance, service and other professional jobs in Eagan.
Thomson Vice Chairman Brian Hall said the company expects to add 1,100 technology and operations jobs to support growth of the Thomson West business, as well as additional positions that support pan-Thomson services. “The decision to grow in Minnesota affirms the importance of the Eagan campus and ensures that it will continue to be a critical center for Thomson operations in the future,” said Hall. “We think this is great news for the community, and for all Thomson colleagues who live in the area.”
“Thomson’s plan to add 2,000 good, high-paying jobs in Eagan is great news for Minnesota’s economy,” Governor Tim Pawlenty said. “Their decision shows Minnesota is an excellent place for employers to grow their businesses. We look forward to working with Thomson on their expansion.”
“For 30 years, the City of Eagan and Thomson West have enjoyed a long and successful partnership,” said Eagan Mayor Mike Maguire. “Thomson’s continued investments in Eagan enhance Eagan’s reputation as a technology leader.”
State Senator Jim Carlson added, “Thomson West has been an important part of the Eagan area for more than 20 years, and these are the very kinds of jobs that help to support the economic vitality of our area. We’re pleased that the company has made the decision to expand its presence here.”
“Going back to my days on the city council, Thomson West has always been a model corporate citizen,” said Minnesota State Representative Sandy Masin. “I am confident their investment will benefit the citizens of Eagan, residents of Dakota County and the state of Minnesota as a whole.”
The Eagan campus is the headquarters for Thomson West and the Thomson North American Legal business unit, and also is an important operations hub for Thomson. The campus has more than 6,800 employees, including 1,400 technology professionals and 800 attorneys.
The company expects to break ground on the data center in April 2007 and the office space in August 2007; the data center occupancy is planned for November 2007 and the office space for October 2008.
If I choose to continue my career with Thomson and wish to stay in technology, than Eagan may very well be a good place for me to be. But there is a problem with that, the distance from my daughter. I know that in the course of life we are required to make some very difficult decisions, thankfully I do not have to make this one, yet.