The recently formed Capital Area IT Council is playing
matchmaker for capital area high tech firms and Michigan State
University’s (MSU) high
tech talent.
In the Mid-Michigan area, the growing IT industry has plenty of jobs, but often has a hard time finding people to fill them.
A big part of
this problem stems from a communication disconnect between students and IT
companies: The companies know they have jobs, but they can’t find
the students to fill them and the students want jobs, but they don’t know where
to look for them.
IT Council Executive Director Chris Knapp is trying to
eliminate this problem by bringing both sides together. He goes to college
career fairs and asks students what kind of experience they want from area IT
companies. He tries to determine if they’re interested in full time jobs, part-time jobs or internships.
Then, he shares his findings with IT companies who then
try to adjust their programs to suit students’ needs. For example, if students
are looking for internships, a company that doesn’t have an internship program
might create a program to attract students.
“A lot of these companies want to do these things –
internships and jobs shadowing and stuff – but they don’t have a standing
process in place,” Knapp says.
Knapp says that so far, the system has worked. IT
companies are starting to find their talent and students are getting hooked up
with the job opportunities they need.
Source: Chris Knapp, Capital Area IT Council
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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