Career fair a hit for all

Students, businesses praise event

 

The first Trine University Career & Internship Fair Friday drew nearly 200 students and around 100 business representatives to the University Center on Oct. 24, a resounding success for the first event, said the Office of Career Services staff, which organized the fair.

The event brought area businesses in search of interns and employees together with Trine and other area university students to investigate job and career possibilities. Trine students impressed the visiting professionals. “They said our students were well prepared, professional, and made an overall good impression,” Office of Career Services Director Linda Bateman said. Some officials availed themselves of the opportunity to interview students of interest directly after the fair, and pledged to return to campus for more in-depth interviews, she said.

She praised faculty for attending and providing comments for the employers, and Trine’s dining service, Bon Appétit, for their excellent effort. Alumni also supported the fair very well. “Everybody went above and beyond,” she said.

Participating business also contributed through sponsorships. Parker Hannifin gave a $200 first prize and Cives Steel Co. a $100 second prize to the organization with the highest number of students participating. NSK donated two $50 gas cards and Allegiant Works and Univertical one $50 gas card each for door prizes.

Bateman said the office will organize a spring co-op networking event for business students. Included will be a panel of company representatives speaking about the co-op program and what it means to their businesses. The program involves full-time placement of students during the school year to give them the competitive edge and probable employment with the company. Her office will also consider specialized fairs at different times of the year to meet the recruiting requirements of diverse businesses, she said.

The Office of Career Services efforts have paid off in successful placement statistics for Trine graduates. Within three months of their May 2008 graduation, 95 percent of Allen School of Engineering & Technology alumni responding to a survey reported major-related employment or graduate school within three months of graduation. The statistic rises to 100 percent for reporting chemical, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineers.

Ninety-eight percent of Ketner School of Business graduates responding were employed or in graduate school within three months of graduation, while 83 percent of responding grads in the Jannen School of Arts and Sciences were employed or enrolled in school. One hundred percent of responding Franks School of Education graduates were employed or in graduate school within three months of graduating.