The Job Fair marks the 21st time HTDC is hosting the annual event but its first with a partner. The move is deliberate, considering the shifts brought about by the pandemic which has impacted technology needs among local organizations, as well as the changing tech employment landscape and labor market.
“Bringing back the annual Tech Fair is good for job seekers and Hawai‘i’s business community in this growing economic sector,” said Mike McCartney, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
“Over the last 20 years, participating in the HTDC Tech Job Fair has become an annual tradition for tech companies and startups in Hawai‘i. Technology enablement applies to all industries and we recognize the need to make the event to be more inclusive. The Chamber of Commerce, with its strong ties to the general business community helps us to achieve that,” says Len Higashi, acting executive director of HTDC.
Corporate missions also align naturally between both organizations, with HTDC’s focus on fostering the growth of Hawai‘i’s tech economy and the Chamber’s workforce development initiatives centered on information technology (IT). The Chamber of Commerce recently completed its IT Workforce Needs Analysis – a research endeavor conducted with Hawai‘i’s companies to inform the development of future education and training programs for technology. Findings from the report will also be shared at a live session during the virtual tech job fair.
Sherry Menor-McNamara, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i shares her appreciation for this partnership. “We are excited to start the new year strong co-hosting the virtual Tech Job Fair with HTDC. This endeavor complements our “Hawai‘i is Hiring” initiative and bolsters our efforts to connect local jobseekers, new graduates and students with in-demand tech-based career opportunities.”
In addition to connecting directly with recruiters at the event, attendees will also benefit from an array of live sessions that will shed light on the trends in tech industry recruitment. The featured speaker for the event is the Head of Talent Pipelines at Stripe, a San-Francisco based company renowned for its forward-thinking approach to building a remote talent base – pre-pandemic.
The virtual format of the Tech Job Fair will provide the opportunity for potential candidates outside of Hawai‘i to participate and learn more about Hawai‘i’s companies, broadening the reach for local companies to a larger talent pool. Companies have demonstrated enthusiasm for going virtual – with American Savings Bank, Bishop and Co., Nalu Scientific, Paubox and Revacomm supporting the event as featured sponsors.
Isar Mostafanezhad, Founder and CEO of Nalu Scientific shares, “We have participated in the HTDC Tech Job Fair since 2017 and have been fortunate to find both high quality employees and consultants at this event. We believe these events act as an excellent catalyst and matchmaker for Hawai‘i’s innovation economy, bringing employers and the workforce together to meet, connect and prosper.”
Companies interested in procuring a virtual booth and attendees looking to register to attend are welcome to visit the HTDC website at: www.htdc.org/techjobfair