Local employers gathered in the War Memorial Student Union for the 2013 Summer Jobs and Internship Fair on Tuesday.
Students could browse through a multitude of employers, all offering positions over the summer in full or part-time as well as internships. It is all about opportunities this according to Keri Truitt, assistant director of Career Services.
“The intention for this event is to bring employers to campus that have on-going part-time jobs, summer only jobs and on-going internships for students,” said Truitt. “We bring a variety of employers from different regions that have a lot of opportunities.”
These opportunities are still hard to come by for most. In a study by the Labor Department, American college graduates with a bachelor’s degree but holding a minimum-wage job totaled 284,000 in 2012, which is 70 percent more than just a decade ago.
While this number has gone down since its high in 2010, college graduates continue to have trouble finding jobs matching their education level. However, Truitt could not think of a better way to show Hammond the students Southeastern has to offer.
“We also know that the local workforce needs talent, and what better way to provide that than to have this on campus for our students to have those opportunities,” said Truitt.
One student who was at the event, Candy Caesar, a senior in human resources management, believes having the experience of an internship, or working at a company during your college career, can only help you in finding a job. She should know, as she was there as an intern with Barrister Global Services Network, Inc. recruiting for her company.
“It’s very helpful,” said Caesar. “You’ll have a better chance of getting a job after graduating because you’ll have experience before you enter the market.”
Employers saw the fair as an opportunity as well. Child Advocacy Services recruiter Connie Stein was able to meet students during the fair and educate them about her group and their purpose.
“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity, for just to even provide the education,” said Stein. “You have to be 21 to be a volunteer, and a lot of the students I’ve talked to are not 21. However, they’ve never heard of this program before, so it’s something they can do in the future.”
To get a better understanding of your career path’s job outlook, visit the Bureau of Labor and Statistics website for their Occupational Outlook Handbook. For more help in finding a career path that is right for you, visit the Office of Career Services for counseling or their eRecruiting website for listed job opportunities.