The Lone Star State will be getting a taste of the Tennessee Valley this fall when “A Smart Place” hits the road for Austin. Collaboration between the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and the Tennessee Valley BRAC Communities, “On the Road” will take up to 40 area employers to the Texas capital with the goal of recruiting engineering, IT, and other high-tech workers from Austin, the University of Texas and surrounding communities and schools.

The first stop in the “On the Road” recruitment fairs was held late last fall on the campus of the University of Alabama when 30 businesses from Huntsville/Madison County traveled to Tuscaloosa to meet with potential job candidates and discuss career opportunities in Huntsville.

After the success of the first event, the Chamber took “On the Road” to Atlanta. The career expo included companies from aerospace, defense, engineering, IT, healthcare and public safety.

The program heads to Austin Oct. 16 and will have up to 40 employers from Huntsville/Madison County and the Tennessee Valley BRAC Communities. Austin was selected because of the similarities to Huntsville in IT, defense and engineering sectors.

“As far as we know, we are the only community in the country that is taking our employment opportunities on the road,” said Mitzi Floyd, Workforce Coordinator for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce.

The event shows that Huntsville/Madison County and the surrounding Tennessee Valley is a smart place to live, work and play. Floyd said that the event does a great job of showcasing the community to potential hires. While BRAC and BRAC-related employment in Huntsville/Madison County are the major drivers of the event, other sectors such as biotech and IT are also significant. While employment is the focus, quality of life throughout the Tennessee Valley is emphasized.

“We want to show the wide range of career opportunities in our community,” said Lucia Cape, Vice President for Workforce for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. “This is bigger than a single job or company – we have a variety of options and plenty of room for growth in many industries. “On the Road” showcases the breadth and depth of choices.”

“On the Road” is open to all job seekers in the Austin area, and extensive advertising will be purchased in advance of the event. Employer participation is open to all Chamber members with job openings (staffing companies excluded).