The Challenge
In the past decade Northwest Arkansas has seen exponential growth in resources and opportunities for entrepreneurs. While founders are setting up their startups, graduates from the University of Arkansas are still moving out of the state to pursue their career in technology.
Walmart, Tyson, J.B. Hunt and local startups are struggling to find local talent to fill their technology positions. They often need to look elsewhere to fill the gap. Attempts to bring talent into the state are slow, and often an uphill battle, as education on the area and its benefits are required.
The NWA Council wanted to educate former U of A graduates, who have already lived in the area, on the benefits of returning to Northwest Arkansas and working in the technology field.
The Ask
FindingNWA, a website run by the NWA Council, engaged InboundMate to write several articles targeted to University of Arkansas graduates who are currently working in the technology field outside of Arkansas.
These articles covered various topics:
- Diversity and inclusion
- Local business investment in technology
- NWA tech community events & groups
- Tech innovation by NWA companies
- Quality of life in NWA
Along with being published on FindingNWA, these article were also promoted on LinkedIn so they could be seen by the right audience.
The Results
InboundMate published a total of 6 articles for FindingNWA:
1. Northwest Arkansas Companies Embrace Cutting-Edge Technologies
In this article we interviewed several NWA leaders to find out how their organizations are pioneering their field with blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
2. Northwest Arkansas Focusing On Diversity and Inclusion In Tech
The tech industry is known for its problems with diversity and inclusion. This important article highlighted the ways local Northwest Arkansas companies are ensuring that women and minorities can have a career in technology.
3. How NWA is Investing in Local Tech Talent
This article highlights the amazing companies headquartered in Northwest Arkansas and creating technology jobs for local software developers and designers.
4. From NWA To NWA: Local Developer Discusses Working In Northwest Arkansas
This interview with Addam Hardy, VP of Technology at RichContext, shows how locals who move away from NWA can return to have a successful career in technology. (And perhaps more of an influence than an engineer could have in the same position at a big city company.)
5. How We Created a Strong Tech Community in Northwest Arkansas
A wide range of events including conferences, meet ups and education have created a thriving tech community in Northwest Arkansas.
6. 7 Reasons Northwest Arkansas is a Nationally Recognized “Best Place To Live”
From its low cost of living to festivals, Northwest Arkansas often receives national recognition as a best place to live. This article focused on the many benefits of moving to NWA and making it a forever home.