Florida Polytechnic University welcomed a record number of companies for its third annual Career and Internship Fair held on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
A total of 50 employers participated in the event this year, up from 26 in 2017 and 13 companies in 2016. Over 350 students took advantage of the opportunity and attended the fair at the Innovation, Science and Technology Building.
“More and more companies are recognizing our students as a product. They’re prepared for the workforce not just with their STEM knowledge, but also with their leadership skills,” said Kathryn Miller, Vice Provost for Academic Support Services.
The job fair was open to all Florida Poly students as well as the state university system, and it was designed to help attendees find jobs and meet internship requirements. Students were encouraged to prepare by attending workshops on campus focused on how to build a resume, proper attire and the so-called 30 second elevator speech to approach employers.
“It’s crucial for students to come prepared to events like these. Here at Florida Poly career-focused skills are embedded in the curriculum and supported through co-curricular opportunities such as the Career Communications Workshop Series,” said Miller.
Some of the companies that participated were Accusoft, Baycare Health system, Citrus Connection, Cognitutor, SIMCOM Aviation Training, DronePhD, Motorola Solutions, Publix Super Markets, City of Lakeland and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
Gina Hunt, corporate recruiter for Publix Supermarkets, said the company has dozens of internship positions available in STEM areas and Florida Poly provides the right kind of talent to fill them.
“I have to say I’m very impressed with the candidates,” said Hunt. “The students are very professional and bright. You can tell they came prepared and they know what they want.”
For students like junior Shirley Garcia, of Tallahassee, Florida, these job and internship fairs open the door to endless possibilities to get her career started in Mechanical Engineering.
“This fair gives us an outlook of what’s out there in the job market and what they’re looking for,” said Garcia, 20. “I attended the workshops and prepared myself for this. I’m hopeful I’ll get an internship.”