By Maria Grzywa —
The leaves are turning red, orange and yellow under the sooner-setting sun and we all know what that means: it’s Career Conference season. Pressure from professors and advisers to attend the fair can be overwhelming, but it comes from the right place. Especially this year, as a record number of employers are expected to turnout.
Usually the conference brings in around 300 employers. This year over 390 employers are expected to have booths at the conference; this includes 75 new companies. University of Wisconsin–Stout’s Fall Career Conference is to be held Oct. 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Sports and Fitness Center. Employers at the conference represent 21 different states and range from JAMF Software, to Target.
“It’s an overwhelming response,” said Bryan Bart, interim director of Career Services.
The increase in attendance by employers reflects the increasing strength of the economy. This increase also shows a growing interest in Stout students by employers. Stout has a wide range of career and industry-focused majors, resulting in a 97.1 percent employment rate for graduates, which makes candidates from Stout appealing.
“Employers recognize the need to attract new talent for new projects and for succession planning,” said Barts.
It is expected that around 2,000 students will attend the conference this fall. The students attending will be looking for co-op programs that will eventually turn into full-time employment post graduation. “Many students eventually receive full-time job offers from the companies where they had co-ops,” said Barts.
Most majors at Stout require co-ops or internships. These opportunities provide students with credit for their program and hands-on experience in their field of study. This requirement, held across campus, is what draws students to the Career Conference.
Although there are a lot more benefits to the conference than just meandering around looking for the first co-op to come your way.
Students can visit employer booths, drop off resumes, and set up interviews with multiple companies at the conference. “For seven years now, in a row, we’ve increased the number of on-campus interviews during Career Conference,” said Barts.
In fact, a total of 135 on-campus interviews have already been scheduled for fall’s conference.
Employers scheduled to have booths at the conference this fall include Phillips-Medisize, JAMF Software, Target, Ashley Furniture, the Eau Claire Area School District, Macy’s Food Division, 3M, Ryan Companies, Buffalo Wild Wings and Kraus-Anderson Construction.
So edit your resumes and iron your dress pants for the Fall Career Conference on Oct. 6 and 7 to see if you have what it takes to lock down a co-op or job position.
