The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce launched a new initiative in March to encourage families to move to the area, supported by Ithaca College and other top area employers.
Live in Ithaca is a set of tools to help Tompkins County employers recruit and retain world-class talent. The initiative includes a comprehensive website, an integrated marketing campaign, and a new relocation guide, and explains why Tompkins County is a great choice for careers, community and quality of life.
“We are well aware that the talent we need to attract cannot only come from within the Ithaca and Tomkins County community, but must also come from outside of our area,” said Kirra Franzese, interim associate vice president for human resources at Ithaca College. “Therefore, we need to identify pathways to get information out to prospective — and often times passive — job seekers not familiar with all that we have to offer. We will be able to utilize the project’s marketing campaign to enhance our ability to reach these potential candidates.
“We have a strategic focus on diversifying our campus community and wanted a tool that would provide an inclusive, one-stop source of information to respond to personal needs such as specialty markets, religious organizations, public and private school information, child care resources, and various other personal services necessary to attract and retain a diverse population.”
Prospective employees, newcomers and residents alike will find valuable information on the Live in Ithaca website, which includes over 200 local employers and over 500 community resources and quality of life assets. The initiative’s marketing campaign will aide in local recruitment efforts, helping to tell the story of an engaged community with an exceptional quality of life.
Additional benefits of the initiative include supporting dual partner households in their transition to the area, as well as supporting retirees with relocation needs. Live in Ithaca is designed for anyone who seeks to better understand all that Ithaca and Tompkins County have to offer and needs to navigate the community and its resources.
“I visited Ithaca and encouraged my son to consider it for college,” said William Guerrero, IC’s vice president for finance and administration. “After a few visits at different times of year, he chose Ithaca College. A year later, I moved here too. This initiative is important for Ithaca College because we’re one of the main employers in the county, with approximately 1,700 employees. The sense of community fostered in Ithaca is a driving factor in recruiting and retaining employees at the college.”
This initiative is a result of the investment of time and resources from over 20 partners, including Tompkins Financial, Ithaca College, Cayuga Medical Center, and Cornell University, who have participated in planning and development over the course of three years.
“What started as a conversation with a small group of major employers about Tompkins County’s unique workforce development challenges grew into an innovative, multi-pronged solution to help tackle our workforce recruitment, attraction, and retention needs differently as a community, with support from the Tompkins Chamber and many other partners,” said Tompkins Chamber President and CEO Jennifer Tavares.