Making a Splash at the MHTA Spring Conference

With our student recruiting season successfully coming to a close this week as we chose 226 students (from 647 applicants) for this summer’s training program, we are now turning our attention towards another important element of our program growth – client recruitment.   One event that always provides a great opportunity to mix and mingle with IT leaders from a number of Twin Cities companies is the Minnesota High Tech Association’s annual Spring Conference, which drew more than 600 people to the Minneapolis Convention Center on April 25th for a full day of programming.

Jackie Jacobs at our MHTA exhibit

Genesys Works was an exhibitor for the first time at the MHTA event and our booth was visited by a number of people drawn by the images of our students and the work that we do to develop our state’s future generation of technology leaders.  Jackie Jacobs and Joel Crandall manned the booth while Jeff Tollefson spent his time making and renewing connections with CIOs and other IT leaders in hopes of securing additional internship opportunities for the summer.

“This year’s MHTA conference was extremely valuable for Genesys Works,” reported Jeff at the conclusion of the day.  “The level of awareness about our program in the IT community continues to grow and Genesys Works was mentioned in a number of break-out sessions as a great example of a program working to address the IT skills gap and workforce needs of our state by exposing youth to technology careers at an early age.  The exposure we received and connections made are of great value as we look to expand our client base in the months ahead.”

As special note of thanks goes out to two of our Twin Cities board members, Mike Hedges, CIO of Medtronic, and Nick Hernandez, CEO of Aeritae Consulting, for being such great ambassadors for the students of Genesys Works at the MHTA conference.  Your efforts on behalf of our program are truly appreciated.

And last but far from least, we wish to especially thank Margaret Anderson Kelliher and her staff at the Minnesota High Tech Association for their tremendous support of the Genesys Works program over the past year.  Margaret not only serves as President and CEO of the MHTA, but is a valued member of the Genesys Works board of directors as well.  Under Margaret’s leadership, the MHTA is fueling Minnesota’s prosperity through innovation and technology with a goal of making Minnesota one of the country’s top five technology states by 2020.  Judging by the success of this year’s Spring Conference, we’re well on our way towards that goal.  Congratulations and thanks to Margaret and the MHTA for all you do to make our state a better place to work and live.