Trine sees rise in career fair participation

With a record number of students on its main campus and area businesses competing for quality employees in the face of historically low unemployment, Trine University has seen a huge jump this fall in career fair participation by students and employers.

The fairs and the university’s career bootcamp are part of the strategy that helps Trine boast an employment rate of more than 99 percent for its graduates.

“Career events aren’t just for seniors looking toward graduation,” said Jason Blume, executive director of Trine University’s Innovation One. “From their freshman year, Trine University students use the fairs and bootcamp to develop their job search and interviewing skills, and obtain internships and co-ops in preparation for careers after graduation. The practical experience they gain while at Trine is part of what make our students so employable once they graduate.”

About 300 students attended the Career Bootcamp, held in the Rick L. and Vicki L. James University Center during the afternoons of Sept. 12-13. The event included stations with resources for conducting a job search, networking, resume critiques and job search letter. More than 25 professionals conducted mock interviews and resume critiques throughout the event.

A station offering free haircuts by Lyndsay Sprunger of the Roco Hair Shop was very popular, with one student donating his hair to Locks of Love.

The university’s fall career fairs attracted nearly as many organizations as had attended the entire 2017-2018 school year.

On Sept. 26, the university welcomed 22 companies and six graduate schools for the Jannen School of Arts & Sciences and Rinker-Ross Health Sciences fair, with 120 students attending. On Sept. 27, the university hosted the Engineering and Business career fair, with 180 representatives attending from 82 companies. About 450 students participated in that event.

The university will host its spring all majors career fair from 1-4 p.m. Jan. 31 in the Rick L. and Vicki L. James University Center. Companies interested in participating can find out more at trine.edu/career-services.