Efforts to Attract Tech Workers to Purdue, West Lafayette

Purdue University and the Purdue Research Foundation are trying to attract remote workers to West Lafayette and its expanding tech hub. Specifically, they are incentivizing people to take advantage of the business-focused Discovery Park District located on the edge of campus. The partners are working with Indianapolis-based Tmap and its MakeMyMove platform to manage recruitment for the mixed-use development.

MakeMyMove typically works with communities that are trying to attract remote workers, but Tmap co-founder Evan Hock explained this approach is different as it focuses on technology workers.

“They’re trying to bring builders of all types: engineers, software developers, designers, product managers,” said Hock. “There are companies that are moving to the area, Saab and Schweitzer Electric have presence there. So, smart people that want to come [here] bring themselves and their job with them to contribute to that sort of maker community.”

While not specifically focusing on tech workers, Hock says the Work from Purdue campaign could prove attractive to workers who are looking to avoid or escape higher living costs associated with tech communities along the east or west coasts.

“What’s great about the Purdue offer is it’s really speaking to a lot of those coastal talented folks, maybe folks from New York or from San Francisco that have worked in tech… and maybe have grown weary of the coastal life. It’s expensive. It’s crowded. It’s hard to get connected to the local community,” said Hock.

The program offers $4,000 cash relocation stipends, $1,000 dining credit at Purdue Memorial Union, as well as discounts on continuing education via Purdue Online.

Discovery Park District continues to grow with new high-end apartments, coworking and office space, and the Purdue Foundry, a hub for startup innovation.

“With pandemic-induced remote work giving people more freedom and control over where they can do their jobs, we’ve created a community to welcome newly mobile talent to the Purdue campus, where we aim to provide life-enhancing amenities and boundless opportunities for professional success,” said David Broecker, chief innovation and collaboration officer for the Purdue Research Foundation.

PRF says direct affiliation with Purdue is necessary, but eligible candidates must be working remotely full-time and currently live out-of-state.

Hock says MakeMyMove has helped 28 people move to West Lafayette since last May as part of a pilot and case study designed to test the platform’s success in a college community.

“Building off of our successful pilot last year, we are thrilled to scale the program and offer more remote workers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the legendary Boilermaker community,” said Hock. “Emerging as a leader in remote worker recruitment, this affordable, Midwest tech hub is a must-see for builders of all types.”