Nashville Area Chamber Announces Campaign to Recruit Tech Talent

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the Nashville business community launched “WorkIT Nashville,” a collaborative, regional marketing campaign to recruit information technology workers to Middle Tennessee. The campaign is a result of a yearlong collaboration among the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, the city of Nashville, Nashville Technology Council, Williamson County and businesses in the region.

“Our city is fortunate to have a robust and growing IT sector”

“The latest Technology Hiring Trends Report shows that Nashville had 836 IT jobs open in the fourth quarter of 2012, and we as a region have decided to do something about that,” said George Lazenby, CEO of Emdeon and chairman of the volunteer task force that developed the campaign. “We are entering a time when developers and technology professionals are going to be in high demand – they already are – and Nashville is competing not only nationally, but internationally for talent. A strong message and successful outreach to this demographic is vital to our future success.”

According to the Chamber’s most recent workforce study, the technology industry in Middle Tennessee is projected to grow an average of 4.4 percent each year. The Nashville Technology Council – also a partner in the effort – reports that the most in-demand IT positions are analysts and developers, specifically developers with .Net, SQL and Java experience.

At the center of the recruitment campaign is a newly launched website, workITNashville.com. The site is an IT jobs marketplace, serving as a central platform for all IT job openings in the Nashville area, combined with a place for job applicants to post their resumes for consideration and sourcing by local employers. The site serves as a valuable resource for job seekers and their families interested in learning more about life in Middle Tennessee, including the technology industry and information related to cost of living, neighborhoods, local amenities and culture.

At the event to launch the campaign, the Chamber announced that 100 industry leaders have been recruited as advocates for the campaign to promote the region through social media and provide fresh campaign content throughout the year. These advocates have a social reach of 435,000 individuals through their networks.

“Our city is fortunate to have a robust and growing IT sector,” said Mayor Karl Dean, city of Nashville. “This initiative will bridge the gap between employers with IT positions and workers looking for those types of jobs. I appreciate the Chamber paying attention to the needs of the IT industry and spreading the word to IT professionals about Nashville’s appeal as a place to live and work.”

In addition to the website, an important element of the campaign will be the WorkIT Nashville Guidebook, which is being distributed to all Middle Tennessee companies that are working to recruit tech talent to the region. The 40-page guidebook contains information about the thriving technology community in Middle Tennessee as well as statistics and information about cost of living, amenities, entertainment venues, neighborhoods and more. Throughout 2013, the Chamber will host workshops for recruiters and human resources personnel to train them on using the guidebook and understanding how to sell the region when recruiting tech talent.

“The guidebook gives HR professionals - or anyone - the tools they need to sell the attributes of the Nashville region to job candidates, including information about the growing tech community,” said Rebecca Leslie, Chamber vice president of talent development. “This guidebook shares the Nashville region’s lifestyles and community as it relates to the interests of technology professionals and their families.”

The multifaceted WorkIT Nashville campaign also includes a social media and digital marketing plan with a brand presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Long-term components of the WorkIT Nashville campaign include a national marketing and PR campaign, targeted outreach in external markets, harnessing the power of the growing network of local technology talent, and the continued recruitment of business community support as advocates.

“Today’s launch of the website, guidebook and digital media campaign is just the beginning,” said Lazenby. “We are committed to addressing the growing need for technology talent in our community and will continue to ensure that Nashville has a vibrant, diverse workforce.”

To post a position or an individual profile, or to learn how to become involved in the campaign, visit workitnashville.com.

About WorkIT Nashville

WorkIT Nashville is a collaborative community initiative supported by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Williamson County, and the Nashville Technology Council. Private-sector support includes Bank of New York Mellon, Caterpillar Financial, Dollar General, Emdeon, HCA, Jackson National Life Insurance and Tractor Supply Company. For more information on WorkITNashville, our partnerships or our advocate program, please visit WorkITNashville.com.

About the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce

The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce is Middle Tennessee’s largest business federation, representing more than 2,000 member companies. Belong, engage, lead, prosper embodies the Chamber's focus on facilitating community leadership to create economic prosperity for Middle Tennessee. The work of the Nashville Area Chamber is supported by membership and sponsors; the Chamber’s Pivotal Partners (a partnership at the highest level for all Chamber programs and events) are BlueCross/BlueShield of Middle Tennessee, Community Health Systems and Delek US Holdings. Together with its affiliates, the Nashville Chamber works to strengthen the region’s business climate and to enhance Nashville’s position as a desirable place to live, work and visit. For more information, visit nashvillechamber.com.