Lone Star College-Montgomery will host the inaugural High Tech Conference and Career Fair on Thursday, September 24, 2009, from 2 - 7:30 p.m. The cross-curriculum event is being organized by the college’s computer science, biotechnology, land surveying, and engineering departments, as well as career services.
“Our focus for this event is on technology innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Tonya Britton, program manager of workforce education for the division of business and social sciences. “We are excited because we’ve received a lot of feedback from professionals and students that an annual event such as this is needed within our region.”
The event, which will be held in the Commons (building A) on the LSC-Montgomery campus, is free of charge and will feature presentations by industry professionals, a career fair, exhibitors, break-out sessions, and a cross-curriculum panel discussion on issues and trends currently being faced by technologists in a variety of industries.
“This is more than just a one-day career fair,” added Britton. “It’s an opportunity to develop an engaged and interactive community for our region’s technology students and professionals. The public is welcome to come for only an hour or to stay for the entire day.”
The college is working to secure a number of technology-oriented businesses in the area that have employment opportunities available. Those businesses who would like to be a part of the event can get more information by visiting www.LoneStar.edu/job-fairs, or by contacting Michelle Haynes in the LSC-Montgomery career services office.
Those attending the High Tech Conference and Career Fair will be able to network, publicize their expertise, discover opportunities for employment, learn about new technological developments and get a glimpse of how the region’s technology companies and the college are responding to these opportunities and challenges. Presenters include Cody Marx Bailey, an entrepreneur, Web strategist and user interface expert who co-founded the innovative BarCamp Texas and the popular science and technology BIL conference in Monterey, CA, a grassroots alternative to the more elite TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference that takes place nearby.
Wade Adams, Ph.D., director of the Richard Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology at Rice University, will address current issues and advances in the field of nanotechnology. Barry Cohen, executive director of the National Algae Association in The Woodlands, will speak about trends in biotechnology. And Bill Bowers, of the Petroleum Engineering Association, will talk about career opportunities in the oil and gas industry.
Britton noted that The Woodlands was recently identified by Forbes online as one of the country’s “Top 25 Best Places to Relocate”--the only such designation in the Houston area. She stated that the area’s growing number of high-tech companies likely influenced that selection.
“Anadarko Petroleum, CB&I, Chevron Phillips Chemical, Huntsman, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Tetra Technologies, US Oncology and Woodforest National Bank, among others, are all headquartered here, so there is opportunity for people with the right skills. We just need to help them connect with one another,” Britton said.
The career fair, with concurrent breakout sessions, is scheduled from 2 - 5 p.m. A cross-curriculum faculty panel discussion will take place from 5 - 6 p.m. with speaker presentations from 6 - 7:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the LSC-Montgomery career services office, the division of business and social sciences, and the division of natural sciences and health professions. An “after-party” mixer will take place from 7:30 - 9 p.m., featuring additional networking opportunities, food, refreshments and fun.
For more information about the conference at LSC-Montgomery, contact Tonya Britton, program manager, at tonya.m.britton@LoneStar.edu or (936) 273-7354. More information is also available at www.LoneStar.edu/job-fairs.
LSC-Montgomery is located at 3200 College Park Drive, one-half mile west of Interstate 45, between Conroe and The Woodlands. For more information about the college, call (936) 273-7000, or visit www.LoneStar.edu/Montgomery.
Lone Star College System consists of five colleges, including CyFair, Kingwood, Montgomery, North Harris, and Tomball, six centers and Lone Star College-University Center. With more than 51,000 students, it is the largest college system in the Houston area and the third largest community college district in Texas. To learn more, visit www.LoneStar.edu.