Purdue News
Purdue News
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April 16, 2004 State, Purdue partner to present job fair for displaced white-collar workersWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Out-of-work professionals looking for good-paying jobs have a new source to find them, thanks to a unique partnership between the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and Purdue University. The Purdue Dual Career Assistance Program, in conjunction with the Tecumseh Area Partnership and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development's Lafayette WorkOne office, will offer a free job fair for white-collar workers from noon to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27, in the North and South Ballrooms of the Purdue Memorial Union. Employers from approximately 50 Indiana companies – including several high-tech companies from the Purdue Research Park – will be present to accept resumes and meet prospective employees. Other companies that have expressed interest in attending include Eli Lilly and Co., State Farm Insurance Co. and Caterpillar Inc. Don Gentry, Purdue vice provost for engagement, said he would like to see a strong turnout from Purdue graduates who have worked out-of-state for five years or more. "Purdue is internationally recognized for educational excellence in high-tech fields," he said. "Yet Indiana ranks nearly 30 percent below the national average in the retention and employment of Indiana college graduates. We want to lead the effort not only to stop the brain drain, but also to help our graduates living outside the state return to good-paying, professional jobs right here in Indiana." Job fair participants – through an initiative called Connecting Indiana – also can take part in job-search skills seminars. The seminars will be presented each half hour by staff from the Purdue Center for Career Opportunities and the director of the Business and Professional Exchange, a white-collar job networking group. Staff from the Purdue Dual Career Assistance Office, Purdue Center for Career Opportunities, Purdue Alumni Association, Tecumseh Area Partnership-Lafayette, Indiana Department of Workforce Development-Lafayette and Indiana Department of Commerce will be in attendance to visit with job seekers. Alan Degner, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said the state welcomes its partnership with Purdue to spur economic development and job growth throughout the state. "In the last few years, Indiana has taken some bold steps forward," Degner said. "We've restructured our corporate tax code, created a variety of new economic development tools through Energize Indiana, and now we are working to improve our work force's skills through the Indiana@Work initiative. These efforts are supported and made more successful when we involve partners like Purdue University. We've always had a great partnership with Purdue that has helped us to attract an array of new and growing businesses, and with Connecting Indiana, we look forward to continuing that trend." Tari Alper, relocation specialist for Purdue's Dual Career Assistance Program, said Purdue recognizes that the harsh economic climate has been agonizing for many professionals. "White-collar workers have been laid off in increasing numbers during the past few years," Alper said. "Many middle managers who have lost their jobs have been left on their own to find a comparable position or update their skills. Connecting Indiana allows Purdue to reach out to those workers and improve the state economy in the process." Job fair participants can submit a resume for participating employers in an electronic directory though the WorkOne web site. Employers can register for booth space and a kickoff brunch by contacting Purdue Conferences online by Monday, May 17. Made possible through a state grant, Connecting Indiana is sponsored by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development-Lafayette, Tecumseh Area Partnership-Lafayette and Purdue Dual Career Assistance Program. The event is designed to support Gov. Joe Kernan's Energize Indiana jobs initiative and carry out the university's commitment to help develop the state economy. Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu Sources: Don Gentry, (765) 494-9095, dkgentry@purdue.edu Tari Alper, (765) 494-6366, tlalper@purdue.edu Jeff Harris, Indiana Department of Workforce Development press secretary, (317) 232-3396, Jharris@dwd.state.in.us Deb Waymire, Lafayette Workforce Development director, (765) 474-5411, dwaymire@dwd.state.in.us Roger Feldhaus, Tecumseh Area Partnership director, (765) 477-1710, rfeldhaus@tap.lafayette.in.us Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu Note to Journalists: Tim Monger, executive director of the Indiana Department of Commerce, Alan Degner, Indiana Department of Workforce Development commissioner, and Purdue President Martin C. Jischke, among others, will speak at the Employer Kick-Off Brunch at 10 a.m. in the West Faculty Lounge on the second floor of the Purdue Memorial Union. To make arrangements for interviews and photographs, contact Marydell Forbes, Purdue News Service, at (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu.
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