CHICAGO – Genesys Works Chicago held its first ever Talent Unlimited: Job & Internship Fair on January 4th, 2017. Hosted by 1871 and co-sponsored by America Needs You and Year Up, the Fair attracted 120 college-aged job- and internship-seekers who networked with 20 companies, including CME Group, Northern Trust, TransUnion, and Uptake.
“I saw this as an opportunity to tackle the challenge of connecting Chicago employers to talented, diverse, prepared youth. Working with America Needs You and Year Up was a natural choice for collaboration given our shared commitment to workforce development. Additionally, 1871 could not have been a better host and this marks the start of an important new partnership,” Julia Logan, Alumni Coordinator at Genesys Works, said.
“1871 is actively committed to diversity and making a meaningful impact in the tech and nonprofit world,” said Jeanne Reidy, Vice President of Events and Content Development at 1871. “Partnering with Genesys Works is a prime example of that commitment, and we’re proud to help enable hard workers making strides toward a more hopeful future. With our continued partnership in the Job & Internship Fair, Genesys Works and 1871 will be able to empower aspiring entrepreneurs as they innovate and discover their passions.”
Several Genesys Works alumni have already seen fruitful outcomes from connections created at the Fair. Diamond Porter, an alumna from Class 4 who completed her high school internship at TransUnion and is currently enrolled at Harold Washington College, will be interning this summer with Chicago Public Schools as a Human Resources Analyst. “I was very impressed with Diamond’s presence and preparation,” said Christine Judson, Chicago Public Schools Talent Acquisition Manager. “She did an excellent job outlining the experiences she’s had with Genesys Works and how she would add value to our team in a paid internship. I thought she was well prepared for the interview we hosted after the Fair and are glad to bring a Chicago Public Schools alumna onto our team.”
The 2018 Talent Unlimited: Job & Internship Fair has been set for Wednesday, January 10th. “We are looking forward to an even bigger and better program next year. We foresee this becoming an annual event,” Genesys Works Chicago Executive Director Jim Morgan said. Participating companies have echoed this sentiment for the 2018 Fair. Harrison Horan, CEO of re:work training, noted, “We accomplished in three hours what previously took us three weeks to accomplish through other recruiting methods. For re:work, it’s a no-brainer event, and we’ll double down next year.”
For more information, contact:
Name: Julia Logan
Phone: 312-525-9994
Email: jlogan@genesysworks.org
