In partnership with InternNavigator and ChooseATL, ChooseATL’s After 5 intern program closed a month’s worth of activations with a CEO dinner and guest panel, featuring leaders from around metro Atlanta recounting their experiences to the next generation of millennial workforce.
In partnership with InternNavigator and ChooseATL, ChooseATL’s After 5 intern program closed a month’s worth of activations with a CEO dinner and guest panel, featuring leaders from around metro Atlanta recounting their experiences to the next generation of millennial workforce.
Speakers included ChooseATL Executive Director Kate Atwood; Covello Founder M. Cole Jones; Delta Air Lines Director of Talent Acquisition Glen Johnson; and Ernst & Young Office Managing Partner Glenn Mitchell. The panel was moderated by WABE Community Engagement Manager Robert Jones.
“We know that with your generation, with more choice of industry and living than any other, it has become more important that businesses have cultures that you want to be a part of,” Atwood said.
A recurring topic of the evening was company culture, especially pertaining to inclusion and diversity in the workforce.
“It’s like you’re playing reverse Jenga, where there are already missing pieces. You’re trying to win in the short term, but you also want to win long term with diversity and inclusion,” said Jones, describing companies’ search for talent from a wide range of backgrounds.
The panelists spoke about the “war for talent” many organizations engage in, especially in large metro regions. Conversation also swung to approaches to retaining employees and ensuring there is a supporting culture within the business community.
“We put our employees first, because employees take care of customers and customers take care of us,” Johnson said.
The evening concluded a string of After 5 events, which included a scavenger hunt at the Oakland Cemetery, a concert at Variety Playhouse, an Atlanta United game, and many others, all intended to introduce Atlanta’s interns to local culture and provide an opportunity to network with their peers.
“This series has allowed me to see just how vibrant Atlanta is,” said Emily Gomes, a student from the University of Georgia. “I live outside the city, so having a chance to experience Atlanta culture has been amazing.”
Ashley Nickerson and Olivia Bruce, both currently interning with CNN, spoke about the people and feeling connected to a larger network.
“More than just getting to meet people, you get to share in other people’s passions. Learning how to balance your work life with that passion, and even integrate them, is a fantastic resource to have,” Nickerson said.
For more information on ChooseATL and the After 5 program, visit: http://www.chooseatl.com/
InternNavigator connects employers to more than 40 colleges and universities from a single interface, providing access to more than 250,000 college students and even more alumni. For more information on InternNavigator, visit: https://www.internnavigator.com/
