One of Atlanta’s greatest strengths is the large, diverse talent pool we offer companies looking to relocate or expand in the city. According to the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education, there are more than 570,000 students enrolled each year in the metro area’s 57 colleges and universities. 

At Invest Atlanta, we are focused on ensuring more of this top talent stays here. The best way to keep them is through a job, and that’s why we’ve just launched the Students2Startups program with our partners at WorkSource Atlanta, Startup Atlanta, and area higher education institutions. The program is in a pilot phase and will allow local startups to offer paid internships to 18 Atlanta students.

The idea for Students2Startups came to us through the feedback we’d heard about the need to make it easier for students to stay in Atlanta. The number one reason companies choose to locate in Atlanta is richness of our talent base. With WorkSource Atlanta, we will offer more students the opportunity to build their skill set and job experience with companies here in the city.

We are also to cultivating a very important market sector – Atlanta’s startup and entrepreneurial community. Startups are the companies who will build the great ideas of tomorrow, and we want them to be successful here. However, many startups simply don’t have the resources to quickly bring on new talent, especially in the early stages. Students2Startups internships will offer growing companies an opportunity to address their talent needs and more students hands-on experience and mentoring to launch a career. It’s a win for startups, a win for students and a win for Atlanta as we continue to nurture and retain our best talent.  

We’re excited about the program’s launch, and we look forward to growing it next year with even more partners.

#IamIA