On Wednesday, over 1,000 jobseekers and hiring companies descended upon Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus
By Riley Kaminer
It may have been a gray day outside on Wednesday afternoon, but that did not stop upwards of a thousand jobseekers and businesses alike at the Venture Miami Tech Hiring Fair. Miami Dade College was brimming with tech talent connecting with each other over free burritos and chips from local favorite Coyo Taco. The event, which was open to the public, received upwards of 1,300 registrations, according to organizers.
Close to 50 companies attended the fair, including a host of local companies such as Kaseya, Novo, OpenStore, Milo, eMed and Lazo. Collectively, the companies at the event currently have more than 2,000 positions on offer – and they were very interested in local talent.
“This event is exciting because it’s helping to fill out our talent gap – that’s what’s most important,” Venture Miami executive director Erick Gavin told Refresh Miami. “At the end of the day, we have plenty of talent,” he remarked, noting that the tricky part is connecting companies with that talent.
“Miami is being seen as a place that’s going through an exciting time,” said Gavin, noting the increased excitement around the #MiamiTech movement during this week in particular. “Expectations were high, with so many people coming into town,” explained Gavin [pictured below]. But in his estimation, Miami has risen to the challenge.
“We’ll continue rolling out the red carpet for startups and offering resources for founders,” Gavin shared.
On top of providing soft landing services for companies looking to move to Miami, Gavin expressed a clear interest in also giving Miami’s local entrepreneurs a leg up. To that end, Venture Miami is partnering with the Shrimp Society for its Built in Miami Startup Program, a yearlong initiative to support early-stage entrepreneurs in the Magic City.
“Everyone said that we couldn’t – everyone said that Miami didn’t have the talent,” Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega said in a short speech to attendees. “And every single time we have a Venture Miami Tech Fair, we pack it with hundreds of you.” Pumariega underscored the growth around Miami’s tech ecosystem, acknowledging the key role both talent and companies provide in continuing to fuel this growth.
On Tuesday, Venture Miami hosted a Talent Summit. At this event, LinkedIn hosted a workshop about preparing resumes and cover letters; Init helped jobseekers assess and improve their skills; there were various interview preparation sessions; and Init sponsored a session in which local Miami tech professionals shared their pathways to success in Miami tech.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Shrimp Society, Venture Miami partner to offer Build in Miami Startup Program
- Get ready for even more tech next April: Miami Hack Week will join Miami Tech Week
- Tom Brady and AI take center stage at eMerge Americas 2023, showcasing startup innovation
- Miami Dade College’s new AI Center poised to become a hub for tech training
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