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Columbia College’s dean of student affairs says more than 100 students and alumni participated in Tuesday’s annual Grossnickle Career Services Center career fair. Columbia College Dean Dave Roberts tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia College has been hosting the event for more than two decades.
“We’ve had amazing response from employers being here to support our students today. The great thing I love about our career fair it gives students and employers time to connect, a time to talk. And so we’ve heard employers tell us all day that they’ve had a chance to really talk to people and connect with people at the table,” Mr. Roberts says.
More than 70 businesses, school districts, government agencies and non-profits were at Southwell gymnasium, and several of them conducted interviews on-site. Central Bank, EquipmentShare, Veterans United Home Loans and MU Health Care were just some of the employers who were there. Roberts says the response from the employers has been terrific.
“And what we find is the Columbia College students tend to stay in the Columbia or mid-Missouri areas when they’re looking for jobs after graduation and internships. And so a lot of times our employers are saying hey we’ve hired Columbia College students for years, they’re a great group of students. And to see alums coming back in, our evening and online students attending, it’s been great,” says Roberts.
Not all of the Columbia College students who attended the career fair were seniors. Underclassmen also attended. Columbia College promotes the importance of internships.
“Internships are a great opportunity for our students to learn skills, connect with employers and for employers to learn about the students working for them. And generally 60 percent of our students get a job as a result of an internship, which is incredible for the students and for the company,” Roberts says.
American Outdoor Brands, Columbia Public Schools (CPS), the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and Waffle House were just a few of the other companies and agencies that participated.
