Last Friday, we had an opportunity to attend the Liberal Arts career fair at Virginia Tech. It was the college’s first attempt at a fair and it was a successful one.

The program and planning committee did not charge to attend. They kept it small at about 20-25 employers. Therefore, attendance was good and with fewer booths employers had more time with students. Perhaps next year personally inviting 20-25 local companies may make it even better.

The committee also focused on connecting students to employers. That is the primary reason for the fair. There were minimal logistics, which typically bog down other fairs.

The students were very engaging and were more than willing to talk to a stranger or a company they did not know much about.  This soft skill should not be overlooked, however, no one is going to hire someone just for this skill alone.

It was clear many of the students did not know what they wanted to do with their major.  This is fine, and I think this event helped them see what was out there.

Those who did know were often focused on careers where competition is intense (i.e. journalism, professional writing, sports). Therefore, these students must do something that differentiates themselves from the rest of the pack. They must use successful job search strategies to break into these industries.

Overall, it was a good first attempt to connect local employers to these students at Virginia Tech.  By reducing the number of logistics and differentiating themselves from other on-campus fairs (free to attend) will result in employers wanting to return next year or possibly in the spring.

New Orleans post-Katrina is continuing to transform itself into a vibrant community. Many young, creative class workers are looking at the opportunity to shape the new New Orleans. Part of the reason so many are coming there is they are wanted! The regions wants these people to move, live and get involved. They are embraced, celebrated and are giving opportunities to shape their region.

Are other communities this accommodating to the younger creative class of workers? If not, why? Maybe our region need a 540rward!

Great post by Carol at CEO for Cities blog about how Mayors in the Detroit area are trying to connect and collaborate with emerging Gen Y leaders.

We attended the Business Horizons Career Fair at Virginia Tech last Thursday with the NewVa Corridor Technology Council. We were one of about 17 local firms (170 total) recruiting business students at Virginia Tech. We spoke to about 25 students who were really interested in our organizations and region.

A couple of takeaways…

1. College students are interested in brand name companies. The NCTC is not a brand name company, but it represents 150+ member organizations. However, the student is not doing the research prior to the fair to see what is available in the region or with the NCTC.

2. Local companies cannot afford to participate in the fairs. Most local companies do not have dedicated recruiters who are trying to hire many positions. Most have one of two positions an the cost of the booth $500, coupled with one day away from the office to recruit college student who are not ready to work until 9 months later is just not a good use of time and resources for a smaller company. Therefore, this explains our presence at the fair recruiting on behalf of the smaller companies.  

3. Students with billable skills in majors such as engineering, accounting, IT, health care, architecture are going to have a much easier job finding employment locally than students with degrees offering limited billable skills (marketing, management, liberal arts, communication, political science). The reason is there is a surplus of people who have non-billable skills AND have experience. Recent graduates may think a better professional job exists in a larger metro, but often these jobs are masqueraded as such and with the higher cost of living and longer commute times over time that choice is not the best.

So how do we change it?

1.) We must educate students in innovative ways about the opportunities that exist.

2.) We must encourage local companies to recruit at local colleges.

3.) Business and government organizations must connect people and make introductions between the local business community and university community.

4.) Local companies must participate in and support programs and events designed to carry out the previous three points.

Today marks a great opportunity for area job seekers as two fantastic fairs are being held. One is on the campus of Virginia Tech with its annual Engineering Expo. The second held at the Salem Civic Center from 10-4 pm hosted by the Roanoke Times.  Please plan to attend these events.

This article about the rise of Boulder. Colorado to a technology, entrepreneurship and creative class hub is the best example of the passion this blog - Connecting People - has for the RNR (Roanoke and New River Valleys). This article clearly outlines steps our region must take into transforming it into the new economy.

We feel the three aspects our region must focus more on are: (1) understanding of the importance and use of technology in their personal and professional lives; (2) an aggressive and proactive entrepreneurship program, which will create more businesses; and (3) the realization of the mass labor shortage due to Boomer retirements and creating a workforce with billable skills in the regional economy.

The following editorial appeared in the CT earlier this year, but I thought it was applicable to this time of year when college students from across the region are beginning to go to on-campus job fairs. This unsolicited endorsement is pretty powerful.

Interesting US Census data on moving habits of Americans… Just over 10% of Americans move each year and only about 3% roughly would boost our region’s net population. That is why we must retain what we have.

Between 2006 and 2007, 38.7 million people moved in the United States: 25.2 million stayed in the same county, 7.4 million moved to a different county within the same state, 4.9 million moved to a different state and 1.2 million moved to the U.S. from abroad.

People who were ages 20 to 24 and 25 to 29 had the highest moving rates (27 percent and 26 percent) in 2007. The majority in both age groups moved within the same county (66 percent and 63 percent). Neither of the comparisons within these age groups was statistically different from the other.

Also, this stat of YPs is encouraging, that so many are moving, but two-thirds move within the same county. Again, the competition for YPs to move into your region each year is incredibly stiff.

We received a direct mail piece from the office of university relations, marketing and strategic communications from Virginia Tech asking alums to go to ThisIsTheFuture.com and submit their story and photo to the site to provide an inventory of what Hokies are doing to serve their communities. The idea is fantastic in creating that online brand identity that is so important especially with the younger demographic audience.

We also were involved in creating MyRoanokeStory.com that does something very similar - to showcase Roanokers unique stories and build that online identity.

These are examples of online activities we must embrace and promote in order to build our online brand in the region. Therefore, if you are a Hokie and/or a Roanoker, then please go to these sites and participate.

Duncan Adams of the Roanoke Times wrote a fantastic piece on the Executive Director of the NCTC in today’s edition (photo credit Duncan Adams and the Roanoke Times). The piece told Cory’s unique story and also promoted today’s Tech Expo at the Roanoke Civic Center from 3 - 6 pm. In only one year, Cory has taken the NCTC from its development stage (led by previous ED Gordie Ziegler) and expanded to a new level. This organization has tremendous forward thinking individuals who understand technology’s role in the new economy and are focused on regionalism as well between the Roanoke and New River Valleys (RNR). Thanks for recognizing Cory and the NCTC role in shaping the regional economy.