Shea O’Rourke
On Wednesday, February 16th, a variety of non-profit organizations and companies gathered on campus in search of future employees and interns at the Summer Internship and Job Fair.
Joan Harrison, a professor in the art department, spoke to the students about how our generation will have to think outside of the box to generate jobs for ourselves in today’s world. The summer job fair was an effort by the school to spark interest in student minds, and motivate them to pursue valuable employment opportunities.
“Employers in the job market today are looking for social media and computer skills,” said Christiane Leonardis, a representative from SPOHNC, Support for People with Oral and Head and Neck Cancer. “Life skills and job experience are crucial elements of a resume because they help you find your future. Even if you don’t have tons of experience, a little helps.”
Freshman Sophia Ventouris spoke about her experience at the job fair. “I loved the representatives from ESPIRIT. They were really chill and friendly,” said Ventouris. “They would be great to possibly get an internship with.”
Other students didn’t share Ventouris’s enthusiasm. “There weren’t enough jobs that offered students a promise of long-term employment with opportunities for advancement,” said a student who wished to remain anonymous. “It largely consisted of non-profit organizations looking for free or cheap labor and several companies looking for replaceable, low-level employees. As a math major, the job fair offered no job opportunities that would make use of my major. I was deeply disappointed.”
Without a clear economic recovery plan aimed at creating entry-level jobs many college graduates may find getting jobs and moving out of their parents’ houses difficult. Young workers have been among the hardest hit during the current recession – in which a total of 6.9 million jobs have been lost.
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