‘Hire Local’ Campaign Launches

The Greater Topeka Partnership and Washburn University, in consultation with Forge Young Talent, are excited to announce a strategic collaboration designed to encourage Shawnee County employers to “Hire Local.” The new Hire Local campaign invites area employers to create accounts on Handshake, a platform that connects college students and graduates with company recruiters. The initiative urges local employers to strongly consider Washburn graduates when hiring for key positions.

“This is a big step toward better engaging employers in the area and keeping talented young people here in the community after they graduate,” said James Barraclough, director of Washburn’s Career Engagement Office. “We are excited for this collaborative effort with the Greater Topeka Partnership to proactively engage employers to recruit Washburn students for local opportunities, from internships to full-time employment. Our hope is that Hire Local spurs more businesses in the area to create their free profiles on Handshake, so that they can strategically recruit from our amazing pool of graduates.” 

Handshake is an online platform used by more than 15 million students, 1,500+ colleges and universities, and more than 1 million employers across the U.S. It allows employers to register for local recruiting events, post jobs, find great candidates, and schedule interviews. Businesses interested in creating a free Handshake account should visit JoinHandshake.com/Employers. Every Washburn student has a Handshake account, and some local employers already take advantage of the opportunity to connect. 

“Security Benefit uses Handshake, and we’ve found great local applicants through the platform,” said Amanda Taylor, senior recruiter for the Topeka-based company. “We use the app to post job openings and internship opportunities, and we tend to see a great response from Washburn students and graduates.” 

“At a time when the need for talent is causing communities and companies to compete for their share of the workforce, the more we can do to encourage young professionals to consider Topeka for their careers, the better,” said Rhett Flood, executive director of Forge. “Hire Local is all about connecting Washburn students with job opportunities here in their own backyard, and we think local companies have a lot to gain from signing up.” 

To learn more about Hire Local, click HERE.