Charleston Digital Corridor Announces Completion of Talent Portal

Charleston, S.C. (December 22, 2004) - The Charleston Digital Corridor, a business development organization dedicated to attracting, nurturing and growing technology-intense and knowledge-based companies in Charleston, announces the availability of the second phase of the Talent Portal.

Digital Corridor members can now promote job opportunities and search the "Skills Bank" by keyword to find qualified candidates. The Digital Corridor's Talent Portal is designed to marry the need for technically-skilled labor with a nationwide talent pool that is increasingly identifying Charleston as a desirable place to live and work.

The Talent Portal allows career seekers to register and manage their Talent Profile by skill set so that member companies can search by keyword and quickly identify qualified candidates in the system prior to reviewing a resume.

From an employers' perspective, the Talent Portal's unique "Dynamic Talent Mapping" (DTM) system, conceived and developed by the Digital Corridor's web partner, Sans Locus, makes the Talent Portal one of the most efficient tools of its kind.

"The 'Dynamic Talent Mapping' feature goes beyond a formal online network for our existing employers and profesional talent by allowing companies considering relocation or expansion to Charleston, SC to review a visual keyword map that identifies strengths in particular skill sets," said Digital Corridor Director, Ernest Andrade.

The Digital Corridor's Talent Portal has been developed in partnership with the Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA). "The Charleston Digital Corridor's Talent Portal has the potential to be one of our industry's most powerful tools to fulfill one of our most difficult challenges, and that is finding candidate employees with the specific skill sets we need to meet our clients' requirements," said Charleston Defense Contractors Association (CDCA) Board member, Mike Resler. "In addition, the Talent Portal has been customized to meet another application for our CDCA members, and that is matching candidate college interns with host companies in our industry through our internship program. We want to start developing a labor pool of individuals so that they can gain relevant experience and will ultimately become employees in our industry."

Charleston Digital Corridor Foundation Chairman, Kirk King, hailed the launch of the second phase of the Talent Portal as another innovation for Charleston's knowledge-based community. "As the CEO of a technology company in Charleston, my ability to peek into the Digital Corridor's 'Skills Bank' and invite a candidate for an interview is very appealing," he said. "I would encourage every employee working in the technology arena in our community to register their skills profile in the Digital Corridor so that they can strengthen the opportunities for themselves and the technology industry in Charleston."

About Charleston Digital Corridor

The Charleston Digital Corridor is a creative effort to attract, nurture and grow high-tech and knowledge-based companies and industry professionals to the City of Charleston through a combination of City initiatives and business incentives, private business support and member-driven programs.

With the goal of offering tangible resources to the business community, the Digital Corridor serves as a portal to government, infrastructure, real estate, education, venture capital, professional resources and a trained workforce.

In partnership with regional economic development agencies, communication infrastructure providers, along with the academic and private sectors, the Digital Corridor's commitment is to facilitate an environment where technology companies thrive. The Charleston Digital Corridor consists of four geographic sections (districts) of the city, offering a diverse range of options to meet the unique size, price and infrastructure requirements for a variety of knowledge-based industries.

Media Contacts:

Ernest Andrade, Executive Director, Charleston Digital Corridor Foundation ernest@charlestondigitalcorridor tel. 843.724.3773