Job matching platform hopes to give UT students a jumpstart with internships and jobs

AUSTIN—UT Connects Talent, a new internship and job matching program, is up and running, allowing potential employers to post openings in a single location to reach students at all University of Texas institutions.

The job matching platform, created by WorkFountain, simplifies the hiring process for businesses and students and reduces uncertainties on both sides of the hiring equation.

“Sometimes a lack of name recognition for a company can discourage job candidates from applying, or hiring managers might toss a resume aside if the candidate is from an institution they’re not familiar with,” said Julie Goonewardene, chief innovation officer at the UT System. “This platform offers instant alignment of the skills and abilities of candidates with the needs and goals of the businesses.”

UT Connects Talent guides employers through quick, simple questions to better target their specific needs and then uses sophisticated algorithms to match only student candidates who align with the criteria. Employers can start interviewing the right candidates immediately, and because they have access to all UT System institutions, they have access to a much larger candidate pool.

“Many small to mid-sized companies only have access to limited talent pools because they lack  brand recognition in the market,” said Wendy Pittman, vice president at WorkFountain. “UT Connects Talent will serve as an equalizer by facilitating connections between employers and students and graduates from across all UT institutions.”

Employers and students already are posting on the platform daily. Any UT student looking for an internship or a job is invited to register with UT Connects Talent. Businesses pay a nominal fee to post job openings, but the platform is free for students to use.

“This is part of our commitment to student success and to supporting students during and beyond graduation as they look to begin their careers and futures,” Goonewardene said. “UT institutions play a critical role in helping to keep Texas economically competitive, and UT Connects Talent will be yet another tool we can use to strengthen our state's business community."

The WorkFountain platform already has found success in several other parts of the country including Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio, Pittman said. More than 10,000 employers in these states have posted thousands of internships and jobs.

However, UT Connects Talent marks the first time the platform has been fully integrated with a major university system.

About The University of Texas System
Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research, and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With 14 institutions and a projected enrollment of more than 234,000 students, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates approximately two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System’s operating budget for FY 2018 is $18.3 billion, funded in part by $3.6 billion in sponsored programs from federal, state, local and private sources. With more than 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies – and nearly 80,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.