Over 225 attendees participated in the annual TalTech conference which has been on hiatus for three years. The event provided opportunities for FSU students to connect with local technology businesses, network with senior leadership, and attend a career fair. The event was open to all students from FSU, FAMU, and TCC.
Presenters at the event spoke on the status of the technology industry in Tallahassee, developing the talent pipeline and what local educational institutions are doing, and statewide opportunities and initiatives. Additionally, break-out sessions were held on cybersecurity, project management, Fintech, AI, IT support, and more. Several CCI IT alumni and FSU employees were among the speakers.
“TalTech was an incredible opportunity to connect with local industry leaders and scope out emerging technology trends in Tallahassee. Panels on more individualized topics also allowed attendees to gain direct insight from experts,” said Westen Zawacki-Dorweiler, senior IT student at Florida State University. “I was very impressed with the Digital/Social and Health IT panels I visited, and I am eager to see Tallahassee continue to flourish in the coming years.”
The event is hosted by the College in partnership with the Florida Technology Council (FTC) (https://fltechcouncil.org) and TalTech Alliance (www.TalTech.org). The TalTech Alliance is a non-profit alliance of business leaders, educators, entrepreneurs and individuals invested in promoting technology-based entrepreneurship, business expansion, and innovation in the Tallahassee region. Members include Paul Consulting Group, Reliant, Inspired Technologies, Velocity Online.Net, Diverse Computing, the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, and more. Students from FSU, TCC, and FAMU are welcome to join the alliance.
James Taylor, CEO of the Florida Technology Council (FTC), spoke to CCI about the importance of the event. The FTC is a trade association for science and technology companies, with the aim of advancing technology in Florida. The FTC has been providing assistance to local conferences since 2015, and organized three panels for the conference with twelve industry leaders. FTC has partnered with the College pre-covid to host the FBI Cybersecurity Conference.
According to Taylor, “Tallahassee area is a source of technology innovation; the technology industry is thriving across the state while many industries are struggling to make ends meet. Right here in our own backyard, the Florida Technology Council believes there are more opportunities today for Tallahassee’s tech sector than before, which is why it was important for us to sponsor this event. Participating in this week’s successful technology conference was a perfect example of an opportunity to connect and collaborate with business leaders in this community.”
Current Chairman of the TalTech Alliance Board, Ben Graybar, was excited to bring people back after the covid hiatus. He said, “It’s remarkable how many tech companies are right here in Tallahassee, and you don’t know it unless you’re looking hard. There are about a dozen firms that just focus on recruiting & hiring in Tech, and a number of companies who employ 20 or more employees in this specialty. The three main areas of tech locally are IT support, cyber security, & software development/coding. What you often don’t think of is the number of non-technology firms that each employ IT professionals as support; It’s a billion dollar impact to our community!”
Ebe Randeree, Associate Dean at CCI, organized the college efforts. He said that “opportunities like this event allow our students to gain insights from leaders as well as access to innovators and local companies for internships and employment. Whether its FTC, TalTech, or the Chamber, our College is working to provide our students with pathways to connect and graduate into the technology industry. Bringing together our local tech community is important for sharing ideas, networking, and growing the local economy.” The conference was supported by FTC staff Kate Manning (a CCI alumna), students from the IT Leadership class, and students from the technology leadership organization, Stars Alliance.
Victoria Pratt was one of the people who led the student support as part of a leadership project for the conference. “This huge thing is great for students really,” said Victoria. “It’s to network and to get to know local Tallahassee companies who are looking to hire students. This is about these companies who come to connect with students, speak to them, and get them ready for career opportunities in Tallahassee.”
To see more photos from the event, click here. To read more about the TalTech Alliance, click here.