For the first time since 2015, Career Fair returned to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, making room for nearly 1,600 FIU students and alumni to connect with over 120 employers representing the private, public and nonprofit sectors.
The biannual event has seen a growing interest among students and alumni from all majors, who are eager to explore the multitude of career opportunities available locally and nationally – inspiring the switch from its former location in the GC Ballrooms to the larger event space in OBCC.
Preparing for the future ahead begins on day one of the Panther experience. All incoming undergraduate students have access to an engaging module that guides them through career development resources available at FIU, salary trends and potential earnings for their chosen academic disciplines, and more: the Panther Career Readiness Module.
Additionally, students are encouraged to take advantage of online career tools available at no cost through FIU Career and Talent Development (CTD), such as Handshake (where students can explore the university’s career events as well as job and internship postings) and VMock (a virtual tool that uses AI to help users improve their resumes, participate in mock interviews and optimize their LinkedIn accounts). These resources and more are available by visiting CTD’s new, centralized platform, powered by UConnect.
Panthers who leverage the various career resources offered at FIU maximize their experience at the university’s career and internship fairs.
“Our main goal at CTD is to prepare Panthers in every field of study to stand out among competitive job markets. With a world-class education under their belts and the professional development resources available to them through our department and career centers, students graduate from FIU with the hard and soft skills necessary to excel in the demanding 21st-century workforce,” said Ruth E. Pacheco, executive director of FIU Innovative Education & Student Success, which oversees Career and Talent Department.
FIU Football quarterback Amari Jones, who will graduate next Fall with a degree in communications, attended the event with his teammates with the encouragement of their coaches. Jones is interested in marketing internships and was grateful for the chance to meet with companies such as TTI, Inc. to learn about their opportunities.
“I hope to go in the NFL, but not everyone goes pro, so my backup plan is to fall back on my degree and get into marketing,” Jones said. “I want to start meeting people and building relationships for when I graduate.”
Civil engineering major Laura Da appreciated the opportunity to meet with several firms to discuss internships, including BCC Engineering, Nova Engineering & Environmental, and Bowman Consulting Group. Upon graduating in December, Da will spend an additional year completing her master’s degree in FIU’s 4+1 program, and completing an internship will be key to building her resume for her future job search.
“It definitely helps a lot [to have this opportunity at FIU], because otherwise I wouldn’t know how to connect with these companies and see what they have to offer,” Da said.