March 29, 2024

By Manija Hamidullah, Spoke News

It’s never too early or late for students to think about their career paths. That includes students who have graduated and are struggling with career choices and current students who are not sure about what to do after graduation. In both cases, they’re being encouraged to attend this year’s Partnerships For Employment (P4E) Career Fair.

The job fair will be held on Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Manulife Sports Complex in RIM Park, Waterloo, Ont. Those who attend the job fair will meet new people and discover companies looking to hire, plus students can have their free professional headshots taken.

Alice Michaud, right, manager of Career Services, and Kimberly Chiu, RBC career launch intern at Conestoga College, say nearly 270 employers will attend this month’s career fair. Photo by Manija Hamidulla, Spoke News.

Alice Michaud, manager of Career Services at Conestoga, and Kimberly Chiu, an RBC career launch intern, are working together to make this career fair a memorable and successful one for students.

“This is going to be our biggest one  — I think there are going to be 270 employers and I’m sure we are going to get well over 4,000 students,” Michaud said.

Chiu brings with her a highly developed skill set and a fresh perspective. She looks at what students do at the Career Hub, but with fresh eyes. She is student-friendly and able to connect with them. One of the areas that Chiu focuses on is social media promoting the job fairs and employee engagement so that students can connect with employers.

“I think it’s a first-hand experience to really see employers in a different light,” Chiu said. “The energy is really different; you see a company as a brand. Sometimes we are used to certain images of them, but when we see people at the fair, the energy is different. They are showing up differently. They are engaging. They want you to be working for them. I think it’s really important for students to attend.”

Employers are coming from across North America to Waterloo to meet graduates and current students who are looking to see what options they have after graduation. They want to meet the brightest students and grads for co-op placements, internships and other roles in their organizations.

The P4E fair is open for students and alumni from four partnering institutions: Wilfrid Laurier University, Conestoga College, the University of Waterloo and the University of Guelph. It is intended for students from a range of program areas, from communications to public relations to engineering and many more.

Students who wish to prepare for the job fair should download the app especially dedicated for the fair, The P4E mobile app is up-to-date with employer information, as well as coaching and professional development services via Career Hub.

There will be a free shuttle bus at the Doon campus at Door  and in Cambridge at Door 1. Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Guelph students who wish to attend can check the transportation schedule here.

A complete list of attending organizations can be found here.

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