The Career Services Center has had one busy semester and we want to take a moment to share some of the exciting news and results from the programs and services we shared with our students and campus.
Spring 2017 Career Fair
On Tuesday, April 18 from 9:30 AM- 12:30 PM the Career Services Center team hosted the annual Career Fair, an event designed to provide students exposure to various career options, part-time and full-time jobs, and summer internships. The fair allows students to engage in conversations with employers in a wide variety of fields and to learn what they might be looking for in an employee.
The overall experience both for Skyline College students and employers was exciting! Students shared in their responses provided in our Student Evaluations that the Career Fair informed them of “…jobs out there that I didn’t even think were paying jobs!”
Other students stated “a lot of jobs have flexible hours that work around my hours as a student and for me that was important.”
And one student expressed excitement as the Career Fair “informed me of different areas within the job industry.”
Clearly, for many students, the Career Fair was about not only job exploration, but career exploration as well. Students were able to connect with these employers and engage in meaningful conversations about how the industries worked.
For employers, Skyline College students impressed to say the least. Employers from the health and wellness, marketing and sales, and fashion industry were all in attendence. In their responses in the employer evaluations, one representative stated “students were engaged and seemed very much interested in learning about the opportunities we had.” In fact, according to data collected during the event, employers made connections with over 100 students.
Special thanks to Pacific Dining Catering and Skyline College Bookstore Manager Kevin Chak for his generous donations to students.
Employer Connections
Over the course of the semester the Career Center hosted Get Work Wednesdays, another opportunity for students to connect with various employers within the community that are in search for part-time and full-time employees. Some employers were also looking to connect students who would be interested in internships. We are excited to say based on the data collected, over 200 students connected with these employers. And some of these employers reported that they were in the process of hiring students they had connected with during their visit.
Again, the job search for both students and employers is on-going and we feel that in addition to the annual career fairs we host, exposure to job opportunities need to remain consistent and Get Work Wednesdays allows for us to continue to meet the on-going needs of our students and local employers within our community.
Collaborations with our Skyline College Community
In addition to the career fairs, the center also makes great efforts to work collaboratively with various learning communities and programs on campus to help prepare students for the world of work. For example, the Career Services Center team conducted and collaborated with cosmetology, Middle College, and the paralegal program via classroom presentations and at the paralegal night, the Clean Energy and Sustainability program, in counseling courses, with the International Student Program, Women’s Mentoring and Leadership Academy and other programs and services to provide workshops, discussions, and support pertaining to job preparation. Additionally, Career Services coordinated with Parkway Heights Middle School and South San Francisco High School by presenting to students on career exploration. With over 30 workshops conducted over the course of the semester, students in attendance of these workshops reported in the student evaluations that the presentations contributed to their understanding of careers. One student who attended “The Myth Behind Interviews” shared that the “the discussion about the different types of questions asked during an interview were really helpful.”
Overall, the Career Services Center was excited to support so many students. We are looking very much forward to another year full of programs, workshops, and more opportunities for career and major exploration. Keep an eye out for our events calendar that should be arriving in your mailboxes when school begins in the fall of 2017.
Special thanks to the faculty, staff, and administrators on campus that have contributed to our work through collaboration and support! We couldn’t do what we do for our students if it wasn’t for you!
On behalf of the Career Services Center staff, have a great summer and see you in the fall!
Article and photo by Michele Haggar
