Kundapur: Jobs Express 2026, a major regional employability and recruitment initiative, will be held on September 17 and 18 at Moodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapur, offering more than 5,000 employment opportunities for youth across coastal Karnataka.
The two-day initiative is being organised by IMJ Institutions, Kundapur, and 1M1B Foundation (A Million for a Billion), in partnership with the Government of Karnataka, Microsoft and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The programme aims to bring recruiters, students and job seekers onto a common platform and provide young people in the coastal region with greater access to employment and career opportunities.
More than 35 companies to participate
More than 35 companies are expected to participate in Jobs Express 2026, offering opportunities across different sectors and career profiles.
Companies participating in the recruitment initiative include Nuhvin Global Services Pvt Ltd, 24/7.ai, TATA Wistron, Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd, Wipro, Kawasaki Precision Mech Ltd, Winman Software, EMMVEE and Flipkart, among others.
Together, the participating companies are expected to offer more than 5,000 employment opportunities to eligible candidates.
The initiative is particularly significant for students and job seekers from coastal Karnataka, as it brings recruiters directly to the region and reduces the need for candidates to travel to major employment centres in search of opportunities.
Microsoft bootcamp to open programme
The first day of Jobs Express 2026, September 17, will feature a Microsoft Job Readiness Bootcamp.
The bootcamp is intended to help participants prepare for recruitment processes and understand the skills and expectations of employers. It will precede the main recruitment event and provide candidates with an opportunity to strengthen their job-readiness skills.
The second day, September 18, will be dedicated to the Jobs Express Recruitment Day, during which students and job seekers will have the opportunity to interact directly with participating companies and explore available career opportunities.
The combination of job-readiness training and direct recruitment is aimed at helping candidates move more effectively from education and skill development to employment.
Students and graduates can participate
Students and graduates from the 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 batches are eligible to participate in the initiative.
The programme has been designed with a particular focus on talent from Tier-2 and Tier-3 institutions. By bringing companies closer to such institutions, the organisers aim to create wider access to employment opportunities for young people who may otherwise have limited exposure to large recruiters.
The initiative also seeks to bridge the gap between academic institutions and industry by creating a platform where employers can identify emerging talent while candidates can learn about career opportunities directly from companies.
Registration mandatory for candidates
Registration is mandatory for candidates wishing to participate in Jobs Express 2026.
However, spot registration will also be available at the venue, providing an additional opportunity for eligible students and job seekers to participate in the recruitment initiative.
Candidates are expected to use the programme as an opportunity to interact with recruiters, understand available roles and explore employment options suited to their qualifications and skills.
With more than 35 companies participating, the recruitment day is expected to provide candidates with exposure to a broad range of industries and job profiles.
Focus on coastal Karnataka talent
A key objective of Jobs Express 2026 is to ensure that geography does not become a barrier to career opportunities.
The organisers aim to strengthen the Industry–Academia–Talent ecosystem in coastal Karnataka by connecting educational institutions and young talent with companies offering employment opportunities.
The initiative comes at a time when improving employability and creating stronger links between education and industry have become important priorities for students and graduates. Direct recruitment platforms can help candidates understand employer expectations while enabling companies to access talent from regions beyond major urban centres.
For students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 institutions, such initiatives can also provide valuable exposure to companies and recruitment processes that they may otherwise encounter only after moving to larger cities.
Building a stronger employment ecosystem
The organisers said Jobs Express 2026 is intended to go beyond a conventional recruitment drive by creating a stronger ecosystem connecting industry, academia and young talent.
The participation of the Government of Karnataka, Microsoft and MeitY, along with IMJ Institutions and 1M1B Foundation, adds to the collaborative nature of the initiative.
The two-day event at MIT Kundapur is expected to bring together thousands of students, graduates, job seekers and recruiters under one platform.
With more than 5,000 employment opportunities and participation from over 35 companies, Jobs Express 2026 is positioned as a major recruitment and employability initiative for the coastal Karnataka region.
The programme is expected to provide young people with greater access to recruiters while helping companies connect with emerging talent from Tier-2 and Tier-3 institutions. By bringing industry opportunities closer to the region, the initiative seeks to make geography less of a barrier for coastal Karnataka’s youth in their pursuit of employment and career growth.