Contact:
Ben Nuckels, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, 608-266-3516
Laurel Cavalluzzo, ITAWi, 608-663-9867
Innovative Online IT Career Matching Service Available Now for Employers and Students Statewide
MADISON – Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton and the Bill Mortimore, Acting President and Chairman of the Board of the Information Technology Association of Wisconsin (ITAWi), announced on a conference call with reporters today the launch of a new career and job “matching” service in an effort to promote Wisconsin job opportunities to young people and build the state’s information technology (IT) workforce to meet a growing demand for talent.
The new online resource allows companies and organizations with technology internship opportunities to easily submit them to the ITAWi, and for students looking for exciting career opportunities to find them with information technology internships.
“Wisconsin employers are looking for talent to fill IT jobs, and bright, ambitious students seek internship opportunities to explore career options,” said Lt. Governor Lawton. “This innovative initiative is designed to connect Wisconsin-trained students with jobs right here at home. It directly addresses pressing issues for Wisconsin by putting people to work in great jobs, letting young people know we want them to imagine their future right here, and building a workforce to attract 21st century businesses and drive economic growth.”
ITAWi approached the Lieutenant Governor’s office to collaborate on this project soon after the idea was conceived by ITAWi Acting President and Chairman of the Board Bill Mortimore at a conference hosted by Lawton.
“Lt. Governor Lawton has shown a great deal of innovation in terms of building a creative workforce for the future of our state,” said ITAWi Acting President and Chairman of the Board Bill Mortimore. “Most all companies and organizations in the state need IT support to one degree or another, this new website will help IT workers get jobs, and companies to get IT workers. It’s a win-win.”
A third partner in the project is Wisconsin Careers (WISCareers), part of the Center on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. WISCareers will provide technical assistance and communicate the program to students throughout the University of Wisconsin system and at the state’s technical colleges.
As of today, seven companies have listings already posted for 80 available internships across the state including Miller/Coors in Milwaukee, Sentry Insurance in Stevens Point, Nielsen in Green Bay, and American Family Insurance in Madison.
Companies and organizations interested in the website can submit their technology internship opportunities for posting to the www.itawi.org website. Companies are asked to provide a brief description of the internship position, company and contact information. Companies are then encouraged to include a website link to more information about the position. These internship listings will be posted onto a special section of the ITAWi website and advertised to college students across the state.
“We are looking for the most creative people we can find for these exciting IT careers available in Wisconsin,” said Mortimore. “Students don’t need to move thousands of miles from friends and family for opportunity: this new initiative will enable graduates and potential employers to get to know each other through internships.”
All organizations in the state are invited to submit internship positions to be posted to the website. Companies can submit their internship opportunities to info@itawi.org, and also use the same email address to obtain answers to any questions about this initiative or about ITAWi.
The new online resource is available at: www.itawi.org
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