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SAS and Handshake connect early-career analytics talent with eager employers
Collaboration addresses sharp rise in demand for SAS skills

CARY, N.C., June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VIRTUAL SAS GLOBAL FORUM 2020 -- SAS is collaborating with Handshake, the leading career community for college students in the US, to help meet the growing demand for SAS® analytics skills. With students from more than 900 US colleges and universities, Handshake makes it easy for SAS customers to find early-career analytics talent in their backyards and across the nation.

Research from Emsi, a labor market analytics firm, shows a 30% increase in job postings seeking SAS skills over the last three years. The Handshake collaboration addresses this demand from SAS customers.

"We know from our customers that one of their most pressing needs is finding talent with the right analytics skills," said Lynn Letukas, Director of SAS Global Academic Programs. "Having the right people, armed with SAS skills, is a competitive advantage. Our relationship with Handshake will help provide that."

SAS skills are in high demand across industries. Major companies in banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and government agencies in all 50 states use SAS to optimize their business in AI, machine learning, cloud and IoT. Handshake helps some of the nation's most well-known companies, including all of the Fortune 500, increase the hiring of quality early-career talent.

"Handshake is committed to helping students of all backgrounds find jobs and launch meaningful careers," said Christine Cruzvergara, Vice President of Higher Education and Student Success at Handshake. "Employers recognize the need to recruit a diverse candidate pool from across the nation but often struggle to meet their goals. We're excited to collaborate with SAS to help students and employers easily discover opportunities and talent across the nation."

The SAS Academic Programs team is working with students at college and universities across the US to create profiles highlighting their SAS skills. According to Letukas, employers should look to Handshake to target, reach and recruit young talent, just like SAS did.

"Naturally, we also seek out bright, early-career SAS talent to bring on board," she said. "Handshake has helped us find and attract tremendous contributors to the company. I encourage our customers to turn to Handshake to find their next great hire with SAS skills."

When Alex Chan, a graduate of Rutgers University, was searching for job opportunities, Handshake led him south to SAS, where he helps develop software used by banks and governments to fight fraud and crime.

"One of the really cool things about the Handshake platform is that users can filter down to different types of jobs based on where they're at in their career," said Chan. "If it hadn't been for Handshake, I may not have ever known about the position or about the job opportunities available to me down in North Carolina."

SAS customers seeking up-and-coming talent should visit joinhandshake.com to post internships and full-time positions, and begin searching today. Customers interested in exploring SAS early-career talent initiatives and programs with colleges and universities should contact SAS Academic Programs..

Today's announcement was made at SAS Global Forum, the world's premier analytics conference. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's conference is being held virtually. 

About Handshake
Handshake is the leading career community for college students in America. Today, the Handshake community includes 14 million students and young alumni at over 900 universities – including 120+ minority serving institutions. We connect up-and-coming talent across all 50 states with 400,000+ employers recruiting on Handshake – from every Fortune 500 company to thousands of small businesses, nonprofits, startups, and more. Handshake is democratizing opportunity and ensuring college students have the support they need to find a great job and kick off a meaningful career regardless of where they go to school, what they choose as a major, and who they know.

About SAS 
SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative software and services, SAS empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence. SAS gives you THE POWER TO KNOW®.

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2020 SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contact:
Trent Smith
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919-531-4726
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SOURCE SAS