ITA Talent Network Experiencing Explosive Growth

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - October 25, 2016) - The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) is leading the effort, on behalf of its members, to bring and keep tech talent in Chicago. Today, ITA announced that its student membership program has over 3000 members, its database of professional resumes has over 6500 submissions and almost 770 computer science students participated in its annual coding challenge.

"We've been very focused this year on ramping up our talent initiatives," said Trisha Degg, director ITA Talent Programs. "Talent recruitment and retention is one of the biggest challenges our members face and these numbers show that ITA is making a difference."

The ITA Tech Challenge initiative is a programming and coding skills competition focused on developing and retaining tech talent in Illinois. The goal of the program is to ensure the best tech talent stays in the Midwest to help drive our industry forward for decades to come.

On November 4^th and 5^th the top 50 out of 767 computer science students who took the qualifying exam will come to Chicago for the final challenge. Last year 450 students participated. In addition to competing for a cash prize, students will also have the opportunity to interview with local Chicago tech companies. This year's 50 finalists include representatives from 15 schools including local universities like Northwestern, University of Illinois and University of Chicago. But also includes students from Georgia Tech, University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon.

"The increase in student membership, our professional network and the number of students participating in our Tech Challenge program means greater awareness about the exceptional companies in the region," said Fred Hoch, CEO, ITA. "We are thrilled to be able to help our members, and the local community as a whole, address this critical issue."

About ITA
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) scales Illinois tech companies. With innovative resources that allow members to collaborate with each other, build their talent networks and elevate their local and national presence, ITA is the region's strongest advocate for fostering innovation and growth. Founded in 2005 and supporting 500-plus growth-stage tech companies, ITA has a rich history of driving the business forward. For more information, visit illinoistech.org, follow @ITAbuzz on Twitter or find us on LinkedIn.