When it comes to determining next steps after graduation, students at Durham College (DC) got a head start on the path to success last week when the college hosted its annual Career Week on campus.

“Our annual Career Week is an excellent opportunity for students to connect with employers and for employers to discover bright, new talent in their own community – it’s a win-win,” said Tara Koski, director, Career Development and Co-Operative Education at DC. “We are thankful to our business partners and alumni who took time to participate in our events and provide invaluable guidance to the thousands of students in attendance.”

Taking place from February 1 to 5, the event, which was co-ordinated by the Career Development office, took place at the Oshawa and Whitby campuses. The initiative saw students meet with potential employers, network with industry experts, access helpful resources, learn from the real-world experiences of successful DC alumni and much more.

This includes the annual job fair, which saw more than 2,000 students meet with more than 75 potential employers at the Oshawa campus, including Ontario Power Generation, Canada’s Wonderland and Loblaw Companies Ltd. who are currently hiring for full-time, summer and seasonal work. In addition, attendees gained valuable feedback from recruiters and enjoyed a free LinkedIn photoshoot.

The second annual Mentoring Lounge, held during the job fair, gave students an opportunity to mingle with business leaders, local entrepreneurs, alumni and special guests including Cameron Munroe, DC graduate and operations manager at CLS Catering Services, and Rob Leth, sports anchor at Global News – Toronto.

Students also received additional words of wisdom during the Alumni in the Pit event. DC alumna Hannah Elkington, a police officer, who graduated from DC’s Police Foundations program in 2014, and alumnus Kyle Merkley, a music supervisor, who graduated in 2009 from the Music Business Management program, offered post-graduation insight to students preparing to make the transition from college to career.

Venture for Canada (VFC), a not-for-profit organization that recruits, trains and supports recent graduates in order to help them find employment at top Canadian start-up companies was also on hand at the Oshawa campus to meet with students on potential employment opportunities.

The Whitby campus also hosted the Tradesmart Career Fair, with 29 trades professionals in attendance, along with the Culinary and Hospitality Fair, which took place at the Centre for Food and focused on current culinary and hospitality students.

The Career Development office offers coaches who assist, guide and encourage DC students and graduates with learning about their chosen career path; discovering what employers are looking for in new recruits; translating their academic experiences into resumes and professional letters; and job interview preparation. This includes the DC Hired site, which allows students to view job postings and employer links; explore job opportunities on campus; and book coaching appointments.

For more information please visit the Career Development website.