New partnership might offer more local tech jobs

IU students looking to get jobs in information technology might soon have more local opportunities available in their field.

The Bloomington Economic Development Corporation and the city of Bloomington have announced the creation of the Bloomington Technology Partnership, an advisory council consisting of local businesses and education leaders that hopes to use the initiative to bring and keep more technology-based employment opportunities in Bloomington.

City of Bloomington Communications Director Danny Lopez said the city and the BEDC have identified the Bloomington tech sector as “vibrant” and want to use the Bloomington Technology Partnership to ensure that it can remain strong and continue to grow.

“We want local tech companies to be able to prosper here,” Lopez said.

He said one of the ways he hopes they can do this is by retaining IU graduates with degrees in technology, such as informatics.

Some of the other goals of the partnership include identifying potential challenges and obstacles in the local technology industry, capitalizing on the sector’s vibrancy, bringing in and keeping technology businesses in Bloomington and maintaining an environment where these businesses can thrive.

The partnership is being modeled off the Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership, which Lopez called a highly successful and useful resource for the Bloomington life-sciences industry.

“The reason they have done well is there’s an existing body that caters to their needs,” Lopez said. “We see the tech industry as having the same potential.”

BEDC Vice President of Business Development Jeremy Sowders said the BEDC is starting to see the Bloomington technology sector as being in the same situation the life-sciences industry was in when the Bloomington Life Sciences Partnership was created in 2003. He said the technology industry will benefit greatly from a similar program that determines what its strengths and weaknesses are and how to respond to sector needs.

So far, the Bloomington Technology Partnership has garnered support from both Mayor Mark Kruzan and IU, particularly the School of Informatics, Sowders said.
“If it weren’t for Indiana University,” he said, “we probably wouldn’t be doing this.”

Tony Armstrong, executive director for the IU Office of Engagement and a member of the partnership’s Executive Advisory Committee, said the partnership would create more local jobs and internships in the technology sector for IU students.
“One of the ideas is to bring new companies to the area,” Armstrong said. “I think that will bring opportunities for students.”

Robert Schnabel, dean of the School of Informatics and also a member of the partnership’s Executive Advisory Committee, said he hopes the partnership will boost his mission to get informatics students involved in entrepreneurship.

“The more opportunities in the area the more of that they can do,” he said.

Although Shnabel said he couldn’t give a definite timetable for when students could expect to see increased opportunities because it would simply be speculation until the program begins. He also said the level of excitement in the area about the industry and the level excellence of the School of Informatics are related.
“It’s part of the buzz,” he said.