Chicago Mayor makes pitch for technology students to stay in the city

Many college students around the country will graduate and follow the jobs to new cities. For IT graduates, that most likely means heading to the west coast and silicon valley. However, as technology becomes a more important part of many businesses, the need for tech professionals is growing in markets all over the United States.

IT students at the University of Illinois have found themselves to be heavily recruited and with the city of Chicago taking steps to become a hotspot for startups and established businesses alike, it would be a easy to see many of these young professionals sticking around. According to a new report from Crain’s Chicago Business, only 16 percent of IT grads called the city their new home.

In an attempt to change that, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, visited the University to pitch reasons why the city should be the go to spot following graduation. Emanuel lead a group of tech professionals in a panel that spoke with 250 students at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

“I believe your future is in the city of Chicago, and I want you to see your future in the city of Chicago,” Emanuel said.

Rob Rutenbar, the head of the computer science department, believes good things can happen from the mayor visits but only if they happen on a more continuous basis. He pointed out that they need to do a better job of exposing the possibilities of Chicago to the students.

Regardless of where these professionals find themselves, it’s clear companies are looking to expand the impact technology has on their business. This means IT consulting firms like CTI Technology could find themselves in high demand to help organizations make decisions.

In an attempt to change that, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, visited the University to pitch reasons why the city should be the go to spot following graduation.