Career Fairs Create Opportunities for Students, Employers

Thursday, October 23, 2014

At OSU Institute of Technology, career placement after graduation is a high priority, and our partnerships with industry provide essential connections for students and employers.

Career fairs on campus have proven to be a great opportunity to bring the two parties together and are held several times throughout the year for various divisions and programs.

A Combined Career Fair was held Oct. 21 on the OSUIT campus for students in Engineering Technologies, Information Technology, Construction Technologies and Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technology divisions.

Representatives from more than 30 companies in those industries were on hand to meet and talk with students looking for internship or employment opportunities, including American Electric Power (AEP), ConocoPhillips, Halliburton, Koch Pipeline, Preferred Manufacturing, QPS Engineering and Texas Instruments, just to name a few.

Cassy Hendrix is a recruiter for Magellan Midstream Partners and said it’s important for companies to have a presence at career fairs.

“Part of it is just getting your name and company out there. Letting students know you’re an option,” Hendrix said. “You can only learn so much from a resume, so here you get that face-to-face time with applicants. It’s good for the candidates as well. They get a perspective of us and if we’re what they’re looking for.”

Andrea Kouame came from the Ivory Coast to study and earn a Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering Technologies at OSUIT.

“I’m new here. I came to see what companies are here in the state and where I might intern,” Kouame said. “Career fairs are important because you get a view of many companies and what they offer.”

Joe Bartlett, Pipeline Integrity Technology instructor, said these career fairs OSUIT hosts aren’t just important for students and companies, they’re critical.

“It’s a service we have to offer. It gives us an opportunity to promote our programs and promote our students,” said Bartlett. “It’s vital, especially because Pipeline Integrity is such a new program.”

Jon Mendez, Design/Drafting student in the Engineering Technologies Division, said he went to the Combined Career Fair to look for internship opportunities.

“With drafting you can go into a lot of areas- architectural, mechanical,” Mendez said. “I want to get my feet wet.”

Mendez said he’s grateful OSUIT offers the career fairs so he can learn first-hand about the companies and opportunities available.

“I think it’s awesome. It helps us a lot,” he said. “You can get a better feel of the companies. It gives you an impression of whether it’s a place that’s more structured or more laid back.”

Employers represented at the fall 2014 Combined Career Fair: