MISSON, TX – As the trend has shown for the past 11 months – things are a little different this year – and Viva Fresh’s Aggies for Fresh is no exception. The popular partnership with DMA Solutions (DMA) is back for the sixth year to virtually connect industry professionals to Texas A&M students.
“Whether in-person or remote, our industry will continue fostering and recruiting talent for the next generation of our workforce,” said Dante Galeazzi, president & CEO of the Texas International Produce Association. “Despite the changes to this year’s expo and program, I’m pleased that we could find creative solutions to engage students and offer networking connections in a fully remote experience.”
Previous programs have included an application and interview process with selected students attending Viva Fresh in person. In the interest of safety in 2021, TIPA and Viva Fresh will host a series of educational webinars introducing students to the fresh produce industry. Additionally, the program will use a series of matchmaking tools to connect select students and industry members with potential internship candidates.
To kick it off, Aggies for Fresh will host a live video group chat to answer students’ initial questions about the program and discuss internship and full-time opportunities during the Texas A&M AGLS Career Fair on February 18th. The virtual Aggies for Fresh experience will include an introduction to purpose driven careers, exploring careers in the fresh produce industry, and guidance on marketing themselves as they network to potential employers in a virtual environment.
Dan’l Mackey Almy, President and CEO of DMA Solutions remarked, “Viva Fresh provides a great venue for students to get acquainted with the fresh produce industry and have productive recruitment conversations with people seeking to hire bright, young talent. We look forward to continuing the success we have seen with this partnership with TIPA and Aggies for Fresh for the last five years.”
As students are selected for the program in coming weeks, TIPA industry members and Viva Fresh participants will have the opportunity to promote available internships and full-time positions to candidates. They will also receive additional information that includes student bios and resumes in order to offer virtual interviews where appropriate.
If you are interested in posting a job or participating in this year’s Aggies for Fresh, please contact Hena Husain or visit the Viva Fresh Expo website.
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About the Viva Fresh Produce Expo
The Viva Fresh Produce Expo was established in 2015 by the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) in order to create meaningful networking and educational opportunities for its members while shining a light on the importance of the Rio Grande Valley as an emerging trade corridor and production zone for healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables available all year long. For more information, please visit www.vivafreshexpo.com.
About the Texas International Produce Association
Founded in 1942, the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) promotes, advocates, educates and represents the nearly $8 billion in fresh produce that is either grown in the state or calls Texas the first point of US-arrival for North American distribution. For more information about TIPA, visit www.texipa.org or call 956-581-8632.
About Aggies for Fresh
Aggies for Fresh is a campaign created to recruit students from Texas A&M University to the industry that grows, ships, markets and sells fresh fruits and vegetables around the world on a daily basis. Industry champion Dan′l Mackey Almy ’94, her husband Andrew Almy ’94, and the DMA Solutions, Inc. team founded Aggies for Fresh in 2014 to inspire fellow Aggies to pursue a career in the fresh produce industry, and it’s been growing ever since. For more information about Aggies for Fresh, visit www.aggiesforfresh.com, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About DMA Solutions, Inc.
DMA Solutions, Inc. is a marketing agency exclusively serving the fresh produce industry driven by a mission to increase demand that will ultimately inspire consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. DMA Solutions, Inc. works to help their fresh produce clients achieve business goals with measurable marketing strategies that reach both consumer and trade audiences. With a successful track record in fresh produce marketing, DMA Solutions, Inc. provides a full spectrum of marketing services with quantifiable results to fit each of their client’s individual needs. To learn more about DMA Solutions, Inc., the company’s work and its team of marketers, visit www.dma-solutions.com and The Core blog, and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
