For the second time in 2017, Prosper Lincoln is working to reach its objectives to connect students to innovation and retain talent. A recent Reverse Pitch event was held at Nebraska Innovation Campus where more than 260 computer science and engineering students learned about job opportunities and internships with highly successful Lincoln companies. Now students have a chance to visit these businesses and see the culture of these companies first hand.
“The visits, coined State of the Practice events, are designed to open eyes and change perceptions about job opportunities and internships right here in Lincoln,” said Rich Claussen, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Developer for Prosper Lincoln. “These aren’t ‘dog and pony’ shows, but rather open, transparent peeks into what makes these companies tick and opportunities for students to join their organizations. That’s a powerfully different strategy and one we hope grows to additional colleges in our ecosystem.”
Two State of the Practice events have taken place this fall. Firespring, who hosted their event with Nelnet, saw twice as many participants as their event earlier this year.
“We appreciate the initiative of Prosper Lincoln to start events such as the Reverse Pitch and State of the Practice,” said Kasey Sendgraff, Recruitment Specialist at Firespring. “Compared to career fairs, having the students come to our facility to meet with our team, as well as Nelnet’s, allowed them to be interactive and ask questions amongst software engineers, web developers, and current interns.”
Hudl and Don’t Panic Labs saw a nearly 400% increase in attendance.
“Hosting a State of the Practice event (alongside Don’t Panic Labs) was a great opportunity to continue our involvement in the student community,” said Brooke Jensen, Hiring Coordinator for Hudl. “It was a laid-back event where students could tour our office and learn how our products are built. A lot of Hudlies have come from UNL programs, so we love being able to host students as they’re figuring out their career paths.”
Two additional events are planned – at Assurity with Pen-Link and Sandhills and at Spreetail with Ameritas and Talent+.