Communitech Goes Virtual with Online Career Fair to Attract Tech Talent to Waterloo Region

WATERLOO REGION, ON, Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Communitech is using the latest technology to help companies find suitable candidates to fill some of the 1,300 specialized tech jobs currently available in Waterloo Region. More than 15 companies will participate in the TechVibe Online Career Fair Tuesday, Feb. 28^th from noon until 6 p.m. EST, which will feature virtual booths and enable live conversations between recruiters and candidates.

"We're excited to use technology to full advantage to attract candidates from farther afield, particularly the U.S., to help companies meet their recruiting needs," said Karen Gallant, Senior Director Talent Networks at Communitech. "Going virtual extends our reach to those unable to attend our live events, including ex-patriat Canadians contemplating returning from Silicon Valley or other locales around the world."

Through the virtual fair, interested candidates can upload and submit their resumes for various job listings in a secure environment. Recruiters will chat privately with applicants either through instant chat or webcam. Candidates can also connect with fellow attendees via an on-line networking lounge, and view informational videos about hiring companies in the virtual auditorium.

"We've tried to structure this as a replica of the live career fair experience but in a virtual, 3D version," said Gallant. "The fair set-up will be integrated with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn so that 'attendees' can search for connections or update their status in real time."

Participating companies include: Agfa HealthCare; Blue Coat; Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc.; Core Avionics and Industrial LLC; Desire2Learn; Enflick; Formulating Change; McAfee, Inc.; Miovision Technologies Inc.; One-eighty Corp; OpenText; Procom; Qwalify Inc.; RDM Corporation; and Sortable.

The virtual environment will be accessible to job seekers for 30 days after the 'live' date. While applicants will still be able to apply for jobs, the chat rooms will not be manned by recruiters after the event, Gallant explained.

Communitech has noticed significant movement between tech hotbeds like Silicon Valley and Waterloo Region, with talent flowing between the two regions as well as other tech centers such as Boston and other Canadian cities.

Communitech recently reported that 1,441 new jobs and 531 new companies were created in Waterloo Region over the past three years.

To register for the Online Career Fair, go to: http://www.waterlootechjobsfair.com/

About Waterlootechjobs.com
www.Waterlootechjobs.com is the technology jobs portal for Waterloo Region's technology companies, managed by Communitech.

About Communitech
Founded by a group of dedicated entrepreneurs in 1997, Communitech www.communitech.ca is the regional hub for the commercialization of innovative technologies supporting and building a Southwestern Ontario tech cluster of more than 800 companies that now generates more than $25B in revenue.  Communitech supports tech companies at all stages of their growth and development - from startup companies, to rapidly growing SMEs, to large global players - to create greater numbers of successful global businesses for Ontario and for Canada.

SOURCE Communitech Ltd.