Diversity of industry, opportunities provided by ASU and a wide opening for entrepreneurship make up some of the best reasons for recent grads to stay in Arizona, one ASU official said.
Julia Rosen, associate vice president of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at ASU’s SkySong, said even with the economic hardships, there are many good reasons for post-grads to stay close to home, beginning with the emerging industries coming to Arizona.
“We are seeing more diversity in entrepreneurship,” Rosen said.
The over-reliance on the real estate sector is one of the biggest challenges in the state’s economy, Rosen said, and this has lead to a boom in entrepreneurial businesses coming to the state, including renewable energy companies, medical devices and educational technologies.
SkySong has also seen unprecedented demand for services ranging from office space, connecting businesses to students and launching new products, she said.
“We are partnering with innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world to diversify the Arizona economy,” Rosen said.
Another reason for soon-to-be grads to stay in Arizona is array of opportunities offered by ASU, like specific programs that provide students with valuable experience in either creating or finding a job, Rosen said.
The Sun Devil Entrepreneurs Network at ASU SkySong is one of these opportunities, connecting students with employment opportunities with entrepreneurial companies in the Phoenix area, she said.
“Our target market are small companies that are very interested in accessing ASU student talent, but don’t know where to begin,” Rosen said.
ASU SkySong Director of Tech-based Learning and Research Paul Skiera said Arizona’s relatively young market is conducive to an entrepreneurial spirit.
“The one thing I like about here … Arizona is pretty much a blank slate. So if you are an entrepreneur … you can build something from nothing,” he said.
Skiera, who recruits companies to SkySong from around the globe, attributed the activity in Arizona to the low cost of property and predicted a reinvigorating of south Scottsdale because of the amount of outside companies coming to the state.
“If you’re an entrepreneur, this is the place to be,” he said.
Joy Butler, who graduated from ASU in 2003 with a degree in global business, is an employee of American Solar, which is one of the many companies that rents space at SkySong.
“[SkySong is] an innovative space where very small companies can grow,” she said.
An abundance of small offices, cubicle space, and the presence of graduate students working on innovative projects makes SkySong in to a community-education workspace, Butler said.
By already being a part of ASU, students have access to a large and robust network of companies that work with the university, Rosen said.
“The best way to get a job after graduation is to gain work experience while you’re still a student,” she said.
To this end, she recommended that students attend in-person events in addition to online efforts.
“To really get out there and meet people, that’s how you’re going to distinguish yourself from any resume that lands on an employer’s desk,” Rosen said.
Reach the reporter at anatwood@asu.edu
