People looking for jobs and careers could take their pick from among 65 major U.S. and international companies and corporations when Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University hosted its annual Industry/Career Expo during Homecoming weekend, Oct. 2-4.
Recruiters from major corporations – many of them affiliated with the aerospace and aeronautical industries – and others from local, state and federal businesses, organizations and agencies met more than 900 people interested in finding jobs.
What is more, those seeking jobs were not just from the ERAU campus.
ERAU Career Services and Employer Programs Director Melissa Mena says the expo is publicized throughout the community. “Our feeling – if it’s good for Embry Riddle, it’s good for the community. The one thing we do insist on when people come to meet the recruiters is that they be dressed in professional attire.”
Mena says she and her team did not yet know how many people were hired. However, they track those who participated to see how many received job offers and/or were employed, where and by whom.
“We’re so pleased to have so many high-powered organizations visit our campus and Prescott. They tell us they like coming here, too, for the climate and the friendly ambience,” she said. “It’s not every day that a small town like Prescott can host names like Boeing, Garmin, Delta, Textron, the FBI, Honeywell, and dozens of others. I think it’s a tribute to our students and to ERAU that fosters their interest and brings them – and new recruiters – back every year.”
The expo has grown significantly. Mena says that in just five years, the number of firms has grown from 43 to 65 – an increase of more than 33 percent.
“More than once, I’ve had recruiters tell me they look forward to coming because of the high caliber of students enrolled here,” Mena said.
Another administrator at ERAU, Enrollment Management Dean Bryan Dougherty, echoes Mena’s enthusiasm for the Expo.
“The career fair featured representatives from companies that any campus would be proud to host,” said Dougherty. “They come to recruit our students and alums and others for internships and employment. What’s really gratifying [is that] many of the recruiters are ERAU alums.”
Dougherty also says the opportunity for networking and for students and employers to find the right fit amidst myriad quality options contributes to “…90 percent plus job placement of our graduates – within their discipline – within a year of graduation. That’s more than three times the national average.”
ERAU Chancellor Frank Ayers said of the expo, “We’re proud that we can attract some of the top employers in the country to Prescott and to our campus. It’s good for us and good for the community to see how vibrant this area is.” QCBN
By Ray Newton
Quad Cities Business News
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