STU’s Career Fair sees strong engagement from employers and students

Representatives from 26 organizations offered information on hiring needs and recruitment timelines during the career fair. (Credit: STU Communications)

On Feb. 10, students filled the Great Hall as they moved between employer booths, exchanged contact information and asked questions about summer jobs, internships and post-graduate work. 

The annual Career Fair, hosted by the Experiential Learning and Career Development Office, brought professional conversations onto campus and gave students a low-pressure space to practice networking skills.

For many students, the value of the fair lies less in securing a job on the spot and more in learning how to speak about their skills and interests.

“It really helps me to build my confidence in terms of networking and putting myself out there … talking about my skills and trying to figure out which industries I'm interested in,” said Harshene Kaur, a second-year international student majoring in international relations and economics.

Erin Feicht, career development advisor at STU, said in-person career fairs help students explore options they may not have previously considered.

“Career fairs are great because they're an opportunity for students to network with potential future employers,” Feicht said.

“It's a great way for them to explore different career paths locally and from all over the province.”

Employers at the fair included Cooke Aquaculture, Horizon Health, the Multicultural Association of Fredericton, Fredericton Police, the City of Fredericton and GNB Mosaik, among others, offering roles across health care, public service, community work and industry.

For international students, professional networking can involve additional challenges.

Kaur said presenting experience in a Canadian context takes deliberate effort.

“As an international student, you constantly have to tailor your experiences to what is required in the Canadian workplace,” she said. “There’s definitely a barrier there.”

She said students often underestimate how valuable transferable skills can be when applying across industries.

“The biggest challenge is making yourself stand out,” Kaur said.

Feicht said she has noticed students starting career planning earlier in their degrees.

“Students are trying to make career connections earlier and earlier in their degree,” she said.

She also said there was a growing interest in community-facing work.

“A lot of students are really into looking into … helping the vulnerable population or [people] with mental health [issues] and addictions,” Feicht said.

Experiential Learning and Career Development staff advise students on networking, career planning and job search strategies. (Credit: STU Communications)

Experiential Learning Programs Coordinator Alexa Navas said 26 employers attended the fair and that employers reported strong engagement from students.

“They were impressed with the quality of the conversations they were having with the students,” Navas said.

She said that preparation is shaped by workshops offered before the event.

“Students engage in workshops about networking and about building their confidence to talk to employers."

Navas said students should follow up after initial conversations.

“Definitely following up is a must,” she said. “Say that you had a super valuable conversation with someone at the career fair.”

She encouraged students to continue learning from contacts made at the fair.

“Info interviews are not job interviews,” Navas said. “They walk away with further knowledge and expertise on a particular field.”

She said the fair’s success is measured by engagement rather than attendance alone.

“It was very energizing to see the students have those conversations with the employers."

For students weighing career paths or testing professional conversations for the first time, the fair offered a practical entry point into work culture before graduation.