eCenter Launches College Connector Initiative
HERMITAGE, Pa. — Connecting young leaders of tomorrow with the employment opportunities of today is the goal of the new College Connector initiative at the eCenter@ LindenPointe.
Local colleges and universities turn out 5,000 graduates, many of whom are eager to pursue professional opportunities and live in Mercer, Lawrence, and Venango counties, says Frank Mindicino, who sits on the board of the eCenter Development Corp. and is spearheading the initiative.
College Connector is a collaboration between the regional colleges producing these graduates and the businesses eager to hire them, he explains.
“Our regional business leaders tell us they have opportunities for new college graduates, and our regional college leaders say their graduates would welcome the opportunity to pursue careers locally,” Mindicino says.
In April, the College Connector program held the first of what will become a series of activities. The featured employer, UPMC, brought college-recruitment specialists to the eCenter to discuss employment opportunities with more than 50 college students and recent graduates from Penn State Shenango, Grove City, Westminster, Thiel and Allegheny colleges.
UPMC’s chief innovation officer, Rasu Shrestha, told how technology is reshaping every industry and in the wake of such changes, young people have unprecedented opportunities.
The College Connector initiative plans to stage future events to bring together area students with leading regional companies in manufacturing, financial service and technology, as well as other top health-care companies, according to Mindicino.
“The eCenter’s mission gives us an ideal chance to be the catalyst that pulls together the employers eager to hire, and the graduates eager to be hired,” he says.
Pictured: UPMC’s chief innovation officer, Rasu Shrestha, addresses students from five area colleges about career opportunities during the first of a series of college and business collaborations.
SOURCE: eCentre@LindenPointe
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