GeorgiaHIRE Online Resume Database Expands to Meet Needs of Georgia Employers

Monday, August 21, 2006

Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774

GeorgiaHIRE Online Resume Database Expands to Meet Needs of Georgia Employers

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that the state’s 34 technical colleges have joined Georgia’s public and private postsecondary institutions in utilizing GeorgiaHIRE, an online database of Georgia college students and graduates. Georgia businesses will now have a larger pool from which to draw potential employees through the innovative employment search engine created by the University System of Georgia’s Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP).

“The business community asked the Department of Technical and Adult Education to be a part of the popular GeorgiaHIRE program and I’m pleased that our post-secondary institutions responded quickly to this customer request,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This expansion makes GeorgiaHIRE even more responsive to help employers find the talent they need, when they need it.”

Joining Governor Perdue for the announcement were University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis, Jr. and Mike Vollmer, commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE). Chancellor Davis and Commissioner Vollmer remarked on the new partnership and the launch of an updated and expanded GeorgiaHIRE website.

“On behalf of the state’s technical colleges, we are delighted to be part of the successful GeorgiaHIRE program,” said Commissioner Vollmer. “Georgia businesses will now have access to a truly diversified pool of talent. We are looking forward to being active participants in GeorgiaHIRE’s new level of service. Customers spoke, we listened to their needs, and we responded.”

GeorgiaHIRE currently provides businesses with electronic access to more than 12,000 resumes of students and alumni from the state’s 35 public colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia, and 23 private institutions throughout the state. The database will grow significantly with the addition of DTAE’s students.

The launch of the new and expanded GeorgiaHIRE website – www.GeorgiaHIRE.com – coincides with the new DTAE partnership. The updated website will house the resume database of students from all of GeorgiaHIRE’s participating institutions.

Employers can search the website 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The site provides any Georgia company, regardless of size or location, access to talent from around the state. There is no cost for students at participating GeorgiaHIRE institutions to post a resume on the site or for companies to search the resumes for specific workforce needs. GeorgiaHIRE also allows employers to post jobs for a small fee.

“The state’s public higher education systems – the University System and DTAE – have a major role and responsibility in driving Georgia’s economic growth,” said Chancellor Davis. “A key part of that is producing the graduates Georgia businesses need, and just as importantly, providing employers efficient and effective access to those graduates. This new partnership, through the technology of GeorgiaHIRE, is an example of what we must continue to do to strengthen and broaden our efforts to fuel Georgia’s growth.”

GeorgiaHIRE was created in 1999 to help meet the needs of employers by providing more direct access to the talent from Georgia’s public colleges and universities. The program expanded in 2001 to include 23 private colleges and universities, and with today’s announcement of DTAE’s participation, the number of participating institutions in GeorgiaHIRE now totals 92.

The University System’s Office of Economic Development administers the GeorgiaHIRE program. Interested employers should contact Kristie Couch at (404) 657-2511 for more information.

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