Job Fair events a hit with career-ready students and employers

This month, over 1,000 career-ready students and alumni from Durham College (DC) seized the opportunity to meet employers at the on-campus Job Fair.

Organizations from a wide range of industries sent representatives to events at both the Oshawa and Whitby campuses, where they connected directly with students in search of full-time, part-time, and seasonal positions.

Students like Lisa-Marie Potthoff of the Finance – Business program made the most of the chance to meet directly with employers.

“I’m mainly looking for internships for the summer. I’ve already applied to a bunch of them online, but I think you make a better impression in person,” she said.

The annual event has become a tradition for students and employers alike, including Ontario Power Generation (OPG).

“It allows us to connect with young professionals and individuals and discuss the potential opportunities in Ontario’s power sector, in both renewable generation and our nuclear facilities,” said Draven Majoor, a nuclear operator at OPG as well as a DC alumnus. “We have a wide variety of roles across almost every kind of job you can think of, from communications, marketing and finance to engineering and operations.”

There were 85 employers at the Oshawa event, and 40 in Whitby. Like OPG, many of them were eager to meet students from a variety of disciplines.

“Every program brings skills and experience. Every student has a unique experience that’s excellent and that brings an opportunity that we’d be interested in,” explained Sergeant Gerald O’Kane of the Toronto Police Service.

For the City of Oshawa’s Supervisor of Talent Acquisition, Alex Holland-Guy, the proof of the event’s effectiveness was sitting right next to her. Talent coordinator Rachel Spade is a graduate of both DC and Ontario Tech University who enjoyed coming full circle and attending the event as an employer.

“It’s a rewarding experience to come back and see how far I’ve come, personally and professionally,” said Spade.

Her career success demonstrates the quality of the graduates produced at Oshawa’s post-secondary institutions, according to Holland-Guy.

“We have a lot Durham College and Ontario Tech graduates reach out to us, and their experience is always very impressive,” she said.

By engaging with employers and making connections, attendees at the Job Fair added crucial building blocks to their future careers. For Animation – Digital Production student Sarah Barcelos, it was invaluable.

“Just to be on our campus and have opportunities like this feels kind of inspiring. I’m going to take full advantage of it.”