People can explore job and internship opportunities at tonight’s Start Up Downtown, the first Gainesville job fair of its kind.
The event will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will be located on the second-floor balcony at Union Street Station, 201 SE Second Ave.
Start Up Downtown will focus on connecting residents with jobs and internships at budding Gainesville businesses.
It will also allow local start-up companies to showcase products they have been creating.
Attendees can network with representatives from a variety of young companies in Gainesville, including Grooveshark and Study Edge.
A full list of participating businesses can be found at www.FWStartUpDowntown.eventbrite.com.
Free parking will be available at the parking garage across from Union Street Station with ticket validation provided at the event, said Linda McGurn, owner of McGurn Investment Company, which provided the event venue.
Residents interested in attending the fair can register online prior to the event at www.EmployFlorida.com, said Kim Tesch-Vaught, executive director of FloridaWorks.
Registering online will give participating companies the ability to reach out to prospective employees in the future, she said.
David Nassau, founder and president of Hopping 4 a Cure, said that the job fair will be unique for the area.
Many of the start-ups are run by students, he said, which creates a more personal connection and a different level of commitment than a corporate job or internship.
Tesch-Vaught agreed.
“You’re not just another resume in a folder,” Tesch-Vaught said. “That’s what’s so cool about it.”
The event is hosted by FloridaWorks in collaboration with the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce and Innovation Gainesville.
Ed. note: We mistakenly wrote that the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event. FloridaWorks is hosting the event.
