Talent Initiatives
Our Talent Initiatives focus on building and sustaining a strong talent pipeline to ensure we are ASmartPlace® today and into the future. We are committed to efforts that educate, recruit, and retain talent in the Huntsville region. We seek to engage talent outside of our market and to showcase what makes Huntsville so smart.
In 2024, our programming reached more than 1,000 individuals in our targeted populations and engaged more than 300 companies, organizations and schools. The Chamber remains focused on minimizing barriers to employment while maximizing awareness of the in-demand jobs in our region. This includes a strong partnership with the Chamber Foundation, sharing information about career pathways, collaborations to ensure all citizens have access to gainful employment, a focused effort to attract veterans to our growing community, and ongoing efforts to address childcare challenges.
Recruit
ReLaunch Job Fair: Spring & Fall
- Employers: 33
- Job Seekers: 100+*
*Job seeker attendance impacted by severe weather
- Employers: 28
- Job Seekers: 200+
Senior Sprint Career Fair: April 30
- Employers: 34
- Job Seekers: 200+ high school seniors
College Career Fair: December 17
- Employers: 31 registered; 28 attended
- Job Seekers: 200+ attendees
Retain
GO Rocket City! Get Onboard - Summer Intern Program: June/July
- 7 events during June and July
- Social (4)
- Service (1)
- Professional Development (2)
- 175+ college interns/recent grads
- 36 colleges/universities represented
- 55 employers represented
What's So Smart Podcast: March Launch
Top YouTube episode: What’s So Smart about Space Farming with Christopher Udall
- - 1,148 views on YouTube
- - 4.8K impressions
- - More than 200 new viewers
Educate
State of the Schools: February
- 12th Annual event
- February 27 @ the Jackson Center
- 425 attendees
State of Higher Education: October
- Inaugural event
- October 17 @ the Jackson Center
- 350 attendees
Industry Insights: February, June, November
- Mazda Toyota Manufacturing Training Center
- Orion Amphitheater
- Von Braun Center
- Huntsville Hospital
- Crestwood Medical Center
February: Advanced Manufacturing | 34 Educators
June: Music | 41 Educators
November: Healthcare | 32 Educators
Chamber Foundation
The Chamber Foundation, a 501(c)(3), is dedicated to the continued cultivation of Huntsville’s greatest asset - its people. The Foundation ensures the growth of Huntsville by supporting the education and workforce talents here. It exists to align resources that address employment opportunities and challenges in Huntsville/Madison County and improve the quality of life for all residents.
Best Place for Working Parents®
- 140 Huntsville companies earned the designation in 2024, a 23% increase over 2023.
Military Talent Fly-in: May
- 12 transitioning enlisted military service members visited Huntsville from 9 states, meeting with dozens of employers and community partners. Nine of 12 candidates are enthusiastically seeking to call Huntsville home with several already employed locally.
Driving Possibilities Grant
- Teacher Mentorship Supporting Teachers with 0-3 years of experience
- 2023-2024 school year - 117 teachers mentored in 8 schools, impacting 3,800+ students
- 2024-2025 school year - 236 teachers mentored in 15 schools, impacting 6,000+ students
- Teacher retention rate improved by 9.2 percentage points from 22-23 school year to 23-24 school year
- Industrial Technology (INDTECH) Career Tech Program
- New program established and hosted at Jemison High School for 24-25 school year
- 25 students enrolled, including 8 dual enrollment students
- DRIVE grant awards
- $130,900 distributed to 64 teachers in 8 schools
- 53% of funded projects were STEM related
