SIERRA MILLS
Chief Copy Editor
Job and internship searching can be one of the most daunting tasks for anyone when it comes time to take a new step in their life.
To combat this, the Career Development Office (CDO) has decided to bring employers to the students, making the search process easier for anyone in need of a job or internship.
The Job and Internship Expo, held on March 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Williams Center, featured over 100 employers looking for people to fill full-time, part-time, seasonal and internship positions.
Students were presented with opportunities to work for many different fields, with some on-campus positions looking to be filled as well such as academic tutors.
“This was the first time that we arranged the employers by industry. It seemed to work well. We also worked with some student groups and faculty, who were very helpful in bringing students to the event,” Christopher LaGrow, the interim director of engagement and career development, said when comparing the running of this year’s expo to preceding years.
Most of these employers were tabled in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR), representing employers for law and government, human services, business and communication, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and healthcare fields. Education and support services were tabled at room G103ABC, and seasonal opportunities were tabled in the Blue Lounge.
“It was our largest event ever in terms of employers, with more than 100 in attendance,” said Internship Coordinator and Career Counselor Jennifer Wilkins when reflecting on past job fairs and expos. “We had more STEM, government and education employers, in particular, than we’ve had in recent years. We also had more alumni than ever representing their organizations. And although we always want to get more students at the event, turnout was solid and consistent with our past events.”
As motivation to attend the expo, a raffle was held, with prizes including gift cards, headphones and a Fredonia cap and gown package for graduating seniors. Extra tickets were given to students by the employers at their discretion.
Reflecting on the success of this year’s expo, Wilkins said, “Many employers shared compliments with us about the students they met with, so we know that they were very pleased to have connected with Fredonia candidates.”
The CDO annually holds career fairs and other related events to allow students to have the opportunity to participate in the job search process on-campus, with other job-related opportunities available through various services from the office.
“We want to connect students with employers — not just seniors with potential jobs, but sophomores and juniors with potential internship opportunities and first-year students with professionals who can share their career experiences with them. Students should know that employers attend events like the expo because they want to meet and network with them in person, not just remotely,” LaGrow said.
“We plan to continue working with employers on this and other career events. We hope to expand the industry categories for next year, which will make the event a must-see event for an even wider range of students.” LaGrow continued, “We’re always available to students and alumni, even in summer, for their career, job search and graduate school questions.”
Since this event is annual, any students that were unable to attend this semester will still have the chance to mingle with potential employers in the upcoming semesters.