AUSTIN, Texas — Calling all volunteers!
Every year, South by Southwest (SXSW) asks for thousands of volunteers to put on the internationally-known festival.
Right now, they're asking for about 3,500 people to sign up.
This year, for the first time, the dates for SXSW don't match up with the Spring Break dates for local schools and universities -- which takes away about a third of their volunteer pool.
So, they’re working to make sure the volunteer experience is more meaningful than ever.
"We're trying to curate an experience that is really beneficial to our students who can attend and our young professionals who may be able to really get a lot out of our program to advance their career,” Tami Richter, Director of Event Staffing and Resources at SXSW, said.
She said they want to offer an opportunity that isn’t just fun, but also helpful to future endeavors.
"I have had lots of volunteers, lots of interns that go off and get really great careers, not just here locally, but globally,” Richter said.
Richter said this year, they're asking volunteers more about their interests and goals and trying to work their volunteer schedule around networking opportunities.
"With their badges -- which is probably one of the best parts of our volunteer program -- they're able to get full access to all of these opportunities,” Richter said.
Opportunities Azizza Williams knows about firsthand.
She now works for SXSW after volunteering at the festival for two years while in college.
"I met a lot of people, and I got to see a lot of people come from around the globe and it was an eye-opener to be a part of that and see how big of an event this is,” Williams said.
She felt the experience gave her a competitive edge when applying for jobs.
“I know when I was applying for jobs, the first thing they saw that kind-of caught their eye was SXSW. Even when I went over to Los Angeles to study, they really asked about that and my experience with that. So, it's definitely a game-changer if you really want to be in the entertainment industry,” Williams said.
To help find volunteers to fill the positions this year, Richter said they're recruiting in new places, including working with nonprofits for a volunteer exchange and with schools to wrap the experience into their curriculum.
"The volunteers are literally the support that SXSW needs to be successful every year,” Richter said.
To volunteer, you have to be at least 16 years old. And to get a badge, you have to volunteer at least 24 hours.
Those perks range from an EDU badge all the way up to a Platinum badge.
If you want to join, you have to sign up online and go to an informational meeting on January 27, February 10 or February 23.