When:Tuesday, Oct. 24
Time: 5 - 8 pm
Where: UMass Fine Arts Center

Employers Go Here for registration details

Oct. 24 Internship, Job and Networking Fair at UMass Fine Arts Center Lobby Presents Opportunities to Attract Affordable Labor, Help --- Students

Struggling to get that project out on deadline?

Wishing you had a few extra set of hands to reorder your database or finally launch that marketing blitz?

Tuesday, Oct. 24 will be your chance to meet with student interns eager to bolster any number of your goals and efforts. The UMass Information Technology Program,* in conjunction with The UMass Office of Career Services, is providing the lobby of the UMass Fine Arts Center to Hidden-Tech and Regional Technology Corporation (RTC) companies, along with some outside entities, interested in working with interns from UMass and the Five Colleges.

The Case for Interns:

Most of you don't need to be told that the Five Colleges and other Pioneer Valley institutions of higher ed have a wealth of students seeking internships and mentoring. College students can provide a big boost to just about any small company. Many of them are trained in everything from computer programming to marketing. They're eager to help, to learn and will sometimes work in exchange for credits. Certainly, they will provide a Hidden-Tech company with affordable labor in exchange for some mentoring.

Some Hidden-Tech proprietors will wonder if a student will provide more headaches than help. That depends a lot on you and your willingness to work with young adults. You should approach an intern the way you do any job candidate: make sure you set firm limits and understand all of their needs before you take on student labor.

(See list below of the types of students who attended Hidden-Tech's 2003 internship fair at Hampshire College.)

How the Internship, Job and Networking Fair Will Work:

* The IT Program will reserve exhibiting space for 28 Hidden-Tech/RTC companies (table top-only exhibits). If you choose to share or swap space with another company, you should make those arrangements on your own. The PR/Programming committee can make a list of companies who have pre-registered available for you to call.

* You will share a six -foot work table with another Hidden-Tech/RTC company. This means you have about three feet of space on your table ? room enough for hand-outs, lap tops and small displays of the sort used at the recent Hidden-Tech opener on Sept. 12.

* Also, Hidden-Tech/RTC companies can come as attendees rather than exhibitors. If so, all organizers and sponsors request you do not crowd out students at tables. If you plan to network with companies or, even better, connect with students, please do so outside the exhibition space.

* The IT Program and UMass Career Services will have a list of students and short bios available for all exhibitors and attendees. Hidden-Tech will prepare a similar packet for students with the help of Career Services.

* There will be drinks and snacks available at various stations in the room.

The Agenda:

4 - 5:15 p.m.: Registration and set up for exhibitors.

5.30 to 6:30 p.m.: Students will have a chance to walk the room and meet with companies exhibiting.

6:45 p.m.: There will be a short program introducing the IT Program, Career Services, Hidden-Tech and RTC.

7 - 8 p.m. - Additional exhibiting and networking time.

For Employers

How to Register:

Benefits of Signing up Early: Companies who sign up by Oct. 6 will have a first crack at exhibiting, plus enjoy the reduced "early bird" registration rate of $25. The following are fees for exhibitors and attendees depending on when you register and the size of your business:

Companies can register starting now Here

Or Use paypal directly to pay to ap@hidden-tech.net

Or you have the option of writing a check to Hidden-Tech and mailing it to:

Cost to exhibit through Friday, Oct. 6 - "Early Bird"

Regular Price - October 7 - 24

NOTE: Attendees: (Non-student) $10 at the door

Warning: Space will be limited. Exhibitors must pay at the door or bring proof of previous payment to be allowed into showcase their business. If you use PayPal it generates a receipt. Please bring that. If you choose to write and mail a check be prepared to show the door people your check register, or consider writing a check at the door. Cash is always acceptable.

Things For Exhibitors To Bring:

* There are limited electrical outlets. If you want power, bring power strips, long extension cords and tape to cover the cords.

* Bring a company sign and prepare sign-up sheets for interns.

Warning: Please do not plan to put stand-up signs or displays on the floor unless they are at the back of the booth and outside the main thorough fare. Space will be tight.

Types of Students Who Attended the 2003 Hidden-Tech Internship Fair at Hampshire College:

* You can expect students to have diverse skills and varying degrees of expertise. Here are some examples of UMass students with technology skills who sought internships with Hidden-Tech companies, though there were others involved in publishing, marketing, the arts, etc . . .:

* An MBA student with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering. Fluent in Spanish and English, he has attended leadership courses in Mexico and Columbia, worked for the Colombian Red Cross and recently composed and recorded a solo CD. Skills include both tech and business.

* A senior majoring in computer science, he has experience in building power supplies for housing units. Some management and purchasing experience. Plus he's fluent in Italian.

* A non-degree graduate student focusing on MBA courses, he is developing a student-led startup that uses technology to create non-conventional commercial applications. Also fluent in Spanish and English, his skills include tech and business.

* A Colombian native, he holds a master in computer science and is fluent in both English and Spanish. He was a partner/founder of a startup to use digital pen and automatic handwriting recognition technologies for the health care industry.

* A software programmer with a BS in computer science, he has experience designing and implementing non-trivial software projects in a group of programmers. He has worked as a Web application programmer and XML and VXML and backend developer for local companies.

* UMass Amherst is a leader in its cross-disciplinary approach to IT education. Students in the IT Program pursue a major discipline of their choice and complement that study with coursework leading to an IT Minor. These courses apply IT knowledge to a wide range of academic disciplines, including English, public policy and administration, legal studies, computer science, art and art history, finance, journalism/communication, and over a dozen other fields of study.