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www.HartfordBusiness.com • April 1, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 5 Local employers say colleges should treat them like a 'customer' By Sean Teehan steehan@hartfordbusiness.com E xecutives representing a cross section of industries in Greater Hartford recently advised new graduates and higher-education lead- ers on how to better facilitate hiring from local schools. The talk was part of a panel discus- sion hosted by the Hartford Consor- tium for Higher Education, which held the downtown Hartford event and fundraiser in celebration of its 47th anniversary. Panelists included Jeff Auker, head of technology and innovation at the Info- sys Hartford hub; Freddie McInerney, director of marketing and communica- tions at Theaterworks; Mary Morgan, vice president of talent acquisition at Hartford HealthCare; and Joe Voelker, vice president, human resources at Stanley Black & Decker. One key action colleges and uni- versities can take to improve the job prospects of students is putting more effort in forming a relationship with recruiters from local business- es, Voelker said. If recruiters had a single point of contact with a school, and that school official was familiar with the specific qualities and skills employers are seeking, the process of hiring interns and recent graduates could be simplified, he said. "It's probably not a revelation, but sometimes it's hard dealing with academia," Voelker said. "That to me would be terrific, if we were treated more like a customer, and less like an afterthought." The group also answered ques- tions from current students at Hart- ford schools about seeking jobs and internships. Responding to a question about how recent grads can find employ- ment when many entry-level jobs require two years of experience, Auker said demonstrating an ability to produce can be as valuable as hav- ing done an internship. "In this day and age there's abso- lutely no reason why you can't have two years [of ] experience in [any field you're interested in]," Auker said. "In technology, build something; if you're in the arts, show me your You- Tube, show me the podcast you've done, show me your portfolio." Before the panel discussion, David Griggs, president of the MetroHartford Alliance, which promotes businesses in Hartford, highlighted the importance of talent acquisition from within the state. "The No. 1 thing we need to attract new business is talent," Griggs said. "We can't be successful as a region without the work you're doing to help train, and get our people ready for the jobs of the future." Other topics included how stu- dents can set themselves apart from their peers, the importance of one- on-one communication skills in job interviews and how job-seeking re- cent grads can leverage their "story" to prospective employers as a way to overcome a lack of experience. Representatives from Infosys, Stanley Black & Decker and other employers participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Hartford Consortium for Higher Ed. HBJ PHOTO | SEAN TEEHAN PDS has been meeting the needs of the construction industry since 1965. Our dedicated team of design and construction professionals welcomes the challenge of serving its past and future customers on their most demanding projects. TC Distribution | Stratford, Connecticut PDS served in the role as a Design Build Construction Manager for an 11,520 square foot addition to their existing building used to warehouse food products for McDonalds. The new addition is a freezer and cooler warehouse utilizing a pre- engineered metal building with foam metal wall panels and ceiling panels. There is also a cooling loading dock with six new overhead doors with vertical lift hydraulic dock levelers. 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PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES: • Sponsorships • 2-Page Company Profi le • Advertising Cinépolis West Hartford, which temporarily closed three weeks ago, is currently undergoing a "multimillion- dollar" renovation aimed at adding luxury amenities and seating to the South Main Street space, says operator Cinépolis USA, a Dallas-based subsidiary of Mexican movie chain Cinépolis. It will reopen as Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas this summer, officials say. Following the renovations, the 21,462-square-foot cinema will feature six screens and 359 reclining leather seats. The entrance will house an upscale lounge-style lobby with a full bar and "gourmet" concessions. An in-theater waiter service will also allow moviegoers to order dine-in food from a button on their seat or through the Cinépolis USA mobile app. The theater will also provide audiovisual technology, which could accommodate web streaming, live broadcast services and video conferences in hopes of drawing events and business meetings.