MAUI, HI – The second annual Maui IT Employer Meet & Greet took place on May 7, 2026, at University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC), bringing together more than 50 students, jobseekers, career changers, educators, employers, and workforce partners for a dynamic afternoon of networking and career exploration.

Hosted as a Good Jobs Hawaii initiative in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and its IT Sector Partnership, the event continued its mission of connecting local talent to Maui’s growing technology workforce ecosystem and strengthening partnerships across education, industry, and community organizations.

“What we witnessed at the Maui IT Employer Meet & Greet reflects exactly the kind of intentional ecosystem building that moves the needle for Hawaii’s workforce,” says Lord Ryan Lizardo, VP of Education & Workforce Development at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. “When employers, educators, and community partners sit in the same room with students and career changers, the conversations that follow don’t just open doors, they reshape how people see what’s possible. Events like this are a direct expression of the 2030 Blueprint for Hawaii, a statewide commitment to investing in our workforce, growing STEM education, and keeping kamaaina rooted here with real career opportunities. That’s the foundation of a resilient, locally grown technology workforce, and it’s what Good Jobs Hawaii and our partners are committed to sustaining.”

The event drew a diverse group of participants, including current students and graduates of UHMC’s Applied Business and Information Technology (ABIT) program, alongside employers, workforce development organizations, and community partners representing technology, healthcare, government, economic development, and defense-related industries. Participating organizations included:

• Alpha Inc. Hawaii
• Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
• Coral MED
• County of Maui Department of Planning
• County of Maui Office of Economic Development
• Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Maui
• Hawaii Air National Guard
• Hawaii Women in Tech
• Maui County Information Technology Services
• Maui Economic Development Board
• Network 2000
• Ohana Pacific Health
• Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training (PCATT)
• Pacific Millworks
• Seabury Hall
• UH Community Colleges
• UH Maui College

A moderated employer panel, led by Marshall Norman of UH Community Colleges, gave attendees a candid look at what today’s technology employers are looking for. Panelists included Dan Ellis of Pacific Millworks, Kristian Matillano of the Hawaii Air National Guard, Christina McCusker of Goodwill Industries of Hawaii Maui, and Tiffany Schaar of Hawaii Women in Tech.

Discussion topics spanned career pathways into IT and technology-adjacent roles, transferable skills and career transitions, remote and hybrid work opportunities, employer expectations, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the future of work. The panel offered practical guidance for individuals at all stages, from first-time jobseekers to experienced professionals considering a career change.

Beyond the panel, the event featured roundtable networking sessions for direct employer and attendee engagement, a resume review station staffed by UHMC advisors offering real-time feedback, and a resource-sharing area where attendees could learn about workforce training programs, certifications, and educational pathways available locally.

UHMC’s ABIT program representatives and advisory board members were also on hand, creating opportunities for employers and workforce partners to engage directly with education leaders about curriculum alignment and workforce pipeline development.

The Meet & Greet reflects the broader goals of the Good Jobs Hawaii initiative and the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii’s IT Sector Partnership to connect education, employers, and workforce systems to build a stronger, more inclusive technology talent pipeline across the state.