Career Fair Jan. 28 Offers Career Entry for Students
Contact: Patricia Counihan, 581-1355; George Manlove, 581-3756
ORONO — In spite of a flagging economy, more than 100 employers in and around Maine will be looking to the University of Maine’s annual Career Fair Jan. 28 for promising new employees and interns in dozens of career fields ranging from healthcare and social services to engineering, scientific research and law enforcement.
The Career Fair, organized annually by the UMaine Career Center, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the UMaine Student Recreation and Fitness Center on the Orono campus. As many as 110 employers have registered for booth space, according to Patricia Counihan, center director.
In spite of the weak economy, Counihan says this year’s fair will have a strong representation of recruiters in the fields of healthcare, environmental sciences, engineering, retailing, banking and financial services, human services, education, research, and organizations engaged in law enforcement or homeland security. Representing law enforcement or homeland security are Bath Iron Works, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the FBI, Maine State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, General Dynamics-Electric Boat and the Maine Air National Guard.
New this year will be a focus on civic organizations, sponsored by the university’s Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism. Organizations offering employment, stipends or volunteer opportunities include Americorps/VISTA, Peace Corps, Penquis and Heifer International. Counihan says the Career Center expects to expand this component in future years.
“I think we have a really nice diverse group of employers,” Counihan says. “We should have something for everyone.”
Students enrolled at any college or university in Maine are invited to attend, along with UMaine alumni. Underclass students and graduate students are equally encouraged to attend. The fair typically attracts 1,000-plus college students from all classes and majors. It is one of the state’s largest assemblies of college students and prospective employers, and many students line up future jobs or internships as a result of connections they make at the Career Fair.
The event provides UMaine and other college students an opportunity to meet with business representatives, hand out resumes and learn more about the companies looking to hire Maine college graduates. Counihan encourages students to dress professionally and be prepared for follow-up interview sessions. More than a dozen of the companies will have representatives available in the days following the fair for more detailed interviews, she says. There is no cost for students and UMaine alumni to attend.
Sponsors of the fair include Bath Iron Works/General Dynamics, Kepware Technologies, Pike Industries, Acadia Hospital, Centennial Contractors Enterprises, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hannaford Bros. Co., Maine Army National Guard, Maine Medical Center, Pizzagalli Construction Co., SMRT Inc., Tyler Technologies and the U.S. Army Healthcare Team.
For information about the Career Fair, contact the Career Center at 581-1359, or visit its office on the third floor of the Memorial Union. The Career Center website (www.umaine.edu/career/) has a complete list of participating companies and tips for students planning to attend.