South by Southwest: Attracting Talent to Lincoln
Members from our talent, innovation and entrepreneurship team will travel to Austin, Texas for South by Southwest (SXSW) in March. Many recognize this event for its new and emerging music; however, it has grown to include an extensive focus on innovation, jobs and new technology.
A social media campaign is helping to identify former Nebraskans now living and working in the Austin area and invite them to come by the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development’s booth to learn how Lincoln has grown and changed. Our goal, of course, is to have them return to Lincoln to continue their careers and raise their families. We expect several hundred people to stop by to learn more about the opportunities in Lincoln.
Many SXSW attendees have heard rumblings about the “Silicon Prairie” and are excited to see representatives in person. Our staff members will be able to speak with many diverse, tech-skilled people looking for new opportunities.
One of Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development’s top priorities is workforce development in Lincoln. Attracting professionals, young families, entrepreneurs and those with technology and healthcare skills are of particular importance … a really good match for attendees of SXSW.
The SXSW Job Market Expo will attract over 10,000 people, with the Partnership’s display at the Expo collecting several hundred leads which will be shared with our Talent Forum.
Nebraska Exposed, a daylong showcase for eleven Lincoln and Omaha bands, will amp up Nebraska’s presence on March 14 at Cheers, an iconic Sixth Street venue at the epicenter of SXSW.
We’ve been evaluating the effectiveness of our attendance at SXSW and our social media strategies. So far, it’s looking good for 2018.
Working together we can ensure that Lincoln continues to grow and prosper with a talented and vital workforce. The Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development continues to do its part to help make that happen.
The Chamber’s mission is to improve the lives of Lincoln residents by providing increased economic opportunity and can only be accomplished together. For more information on the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, (www.lcoc.com) please contact Jaime Henning at jaimehenning@lcoc.com.