Local universities are a force multiplier for small to mid-sized tech companies, seeking to build employee brand recognition. This can be done through creation of internships, new hires, or even internship to hire opportunities. Here's a basic framework:

• Connect with local (or even far away) colleges and universities through their career-development centers. Express your interest in screening and hiring qualified students for your internship program. These career development centers can serve as a catalyst for interns and new or junior hires.
  
  
• Develop the internship candidate experience. Think and evaluate how to make the hiring and on-boarding seamless, secure, and comprehensive. Ensure internships can access needed software, equipment, and workspaces with proper access and guidance, as needed. Provide ample training, safety, and policy resources as needed. Review and create incentives, to really make the internship outstanding.

• Evaluate business and technical requirements on existing projects, that could be suitably handled by a junior employee. Connect with the university career center & where possible, university instructors, to find overlap in coursework concepts and competencies with your business's project requirements. Therein evaluating tasks and opportunities for the intern to take on reasonable challenges and overcome them, with support.
  

• Include interns on high-visibility meetings, where relevant and suitable, to participate in operational planning and company culture.

• Celebrate the intern's completion and achievements. Develop a questionnaire for interns that captures their evaluation of the internship, which can also serve as review, employment marketing, and the employee experience. Create a video, with their permission, to really enhance employer brand.

Creating a positive, high-quality internship experience can feed into employer brand development and serve as a force multiplier for new hires in junior to mid-level employment. This can be invaluable for hidden small to mid-sized technology companies, like yours, that are doing great things!