By Chris Yingling | Echo
One of the most stressful parts of the college experience just got much easier thanks to an event that offers promising opportunities to Taylor students.
A collegiate career expo is being held in the Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis on February 13 for students of Taylor and 13 other universities in the area. The expo brings in more than 100 employers from all different industries who are looking for student interns.
"Any student would be lucky to go to a career fair like this," said Sara Wainscott, senior intern at the Calling and Career Office. "It's never too early to start networking."
The five-hour event offers students the opportunity to walk around the booths set up by various businesses and talk face-to-face with potential employers. This personal interaction sets up good conversations and possible internships, according to Taylor's Coordinator of Internships Emily Bryan.
"(It's an) invaluable opportunity for students to interact with . . . potential employers with face-to-face conversation," Bryan said. "(It) further enables students to gain a widened perspective of the job and internship opportunities available outside of their current network."
Finding an internship while still in school provides students with the possibility of out-of-school employment to find experience in their field of study. The expo promises to be diverse, bringing in industries from all over the spectrum, according to Wainscott. Everything from business and marketing to computer and exercise sciences will be represented.
It is continuously getting tougher for students to find careers in the field that they enjoy or desire to work for, Bryan said.
"As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, employers are increasingly interested in students' or graduates' experiences outside of the classroom," Bryan said.
The expo is open to all Taylor students, regardless of academic year. In addition to offering employment opportunities for upperclassmen, the event serves as a chance for underclassmen to make connections and identify potential career paths.
Internships are pivotal to finding full-time employment, according to Taylor's Calling and Career Office. Students who plug themselves into internships develop skills in their respective fields while also gaining social and business skills while working in the professional environment."Internships, in particular, give students the opportunity to not only develop their technical and soft skills but also enables them to see if a certain field or organization is a good fit for them," Bryan continued. "Furthermore, more and more employers are viewing internships as three month long interviews (or) job training opportunities."
The expo is in the Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Additional info may be obtained at callingandcareer@taylor.edu or by contacting Kim McGary in the Calling and Career Office. Signups for the expo must be completed and turned in today in order to be excused from all Thursday classes.
