The University of Connecticut’s Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills held an internship and co-op fair in the Student Union Ballroom on Tuesday, Feb. 4. With representatives from over 50 employers based in Connecticut and elsewhere, students were encouraged to share their resumes, dress business casual and have their free headshot taken with the photography service provided.
Organized by Corporate Partner Relations Coordinator, Wendy Kopp, the fair offered opportunities for students regardless of major or year from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, a list of the employers in attendance and a map of where each employer would be located were provided on Handshake to give students an idea of where to go during the bustling event.
Associate Director of Corporate Partner Relations, Lisa McGuire, was there to facilitate the fair and she shared insight about internships within Connecticut and elsewhere. “Internships are offered at large, medium and small companies all over the state — and Northeast, really,” she wrote via email. “They reflect the state’s economy, which generally means financial services and the defense industry and those businesses and services that support them.”
McGuire emphasized the synergistic relationship between students and the employers they intern for. “Internships provide opportunities for students to learn more about a job and for an organization to learn more about the student,” she stated in an email interview. “Many students enjoy trying out several different internships with different types of organizations, to gain different experiences before starting their full-time career.”
Yashira Fernandes, an eighth-semester student majoring in business management, has found success interning with the Career Center, as well as with CVS Health during the summer as a human resources corporate intern, which she plans to do full-time. “It’s a very competitive process but I think the skills that you learn with the Career Center have helped me and help with the projects I’ve done,” she said.
Fernandes also highlighted the importance of learning presentation skills, “That really was useful for my internship and helped me stand out amongst the other interns.”
Serkan Parcal, a sixth-semester student majoring in analytics and information management, was optimistic about the opportunities presented to him at the fair. “I’m meeting with lots of companies [and] getting to know lots of companies.” Parcal also emphasized the interpersonal aspect of “connecting with people” at the fair, as it allows students to have one-on-one conversations with those who work for and represent a diverse set of companies.
Thatcher Slocum, a fourth-semester student majoring in material science, initially arrived at the fair with “nebulous expectations.” However, he enjoyed “finding some opportunities with friendly employers,” one of which was RBC Bearings based in Oxford, Conn., a manufacturer of precision bearings along with other aerospace and industrial products, according to their website.
Refreshments and snacks were offered in a separate room along with a resume printing station near the entrance in case a student didn’t bring copies beforehand.
McGuire recommends students attend the fall fairs, typically held near the beginning of the semester, as larger companies including Traveler’s and Pratt & Whitney often attend them. There is also a spring career fair being held at Gampel Pavillion on March 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.