Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

Lawrence Tech is joining Oakland University in hosting a career conference called “International Students: Michigan’s Global
Future” on Tuesday, April 24, from 1-5:30 p.m. at Oakland University’s Oakland Center in Rochester.

International students can go online to find out more about the conference’s programs and sessions and to register by April 19.

Last year Lawrence Tech joined the Global Talent Retention Initiative (GTRI) of Southeast Michigan, along with six other universities – the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University, and the University of Michigan Dearborn.

Cyndi McMichael, director of international programs at Lawrence Tech, is a member of the GTRI advisory board.

“Our partnership with the GTRI places Lawrence Tech among some of the most prestigious universities in Michigan. We provide international students and local employers with training and resources on relevant immigration regulations, finding a job, and working in Michigan, and many cross-cultural issues facing employers and international students alike,” McMichael said.

Go to Facebook for the latest from the Office of International Programs at Lawrence Tech.

The career conference Lawrence Tech is co-hosting with Oakland University is one of the first of many initiatives GTRI will be launching to support the retention of international talent here in Michigan.

The campaign to retain international students in order to boost the state’s economic growth has been championed by Gov. Rick Synder as part of his Global Michigan campaign, which is a statewide public-private partnership to attract and retain highly educated immigrants. Visit this link for more information on Global Michigan.

The New Economy Initiative has provided funding to GTRI as part of its goal to accelerate the growth of new and existing businesses by creating a deeper talent pool in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. That can be accomplished by retaining Michigan natives who have a strong educational background in those fields and by encouraging international students who have studied at Michigan universities to remain in the state.

“There are a lot of jobs opening in Michigan, but they require higher-level tech and engineering skills,” said GTRI Director Athena Trentin. “Michigan just can’t meet all of the demand for these positions, and international students can help fill the gaps in the applicant pool. If we don’t meet the demand, we can’t create jobs, helping all of Michigan go back to work.”

The Oakland University-Lawrence Tech conference is one of several designed to help international students connect with immigration-friendly employers and better understand the cultural nuances unique to their job search in Michigan.

GTRIalso provides employer education seminars to help local businesses become more familiar with employing immigrants. Those seminars will cover the immigration process, taxation, and cultural concerns.

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