Career Fair brings 400-plus employers to Penn College students

More than 2,000 Pennsylvania College of Technology students seized the opportunity to meet with the 428 eager employers who visited Fall Career Fair to recruit the college’s newest tomorrow makers.

In recent years, Penn College Career Services has expanded its Career Fairs, held twice each year, to two days and two locations to accommodate the number of employers who want to recruit the college’s career-ready students.

“We are very grateful for the turnout that we had during the Fall 2024 Career Fair,” said Stacey L. Girven, career and alumni events manager. “The energy that was in the Bardo Gym and Field House from employers, students, alumni, faculty and staff was at a high as we welcomed employers to campus. Amazing opportunities awaited students and alumni: Employers offered internships, part-time and full-time employment. The networking traffic was high and, as evidenced by the positive comments from all who attended this two-day event, it was a success.”

Nationwide, nearly 83% of employers planned to maintain – or even increase – 2023’s record-breaking hiring, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Penn College’s innovative applied technology education puts its graduates in particular demand: 35 employers remained on campus after Career Fair to interview 217 students.

“There’s a big turnout, a lot of people are here, a lot of opportunities,” said Skyler J. Devitt, a senior from Auburn who has now attended Career Fairs for four years. He’s pursuing a bachelor’s in heating, ventilation & air conditioning engineering technology. “It’s very important to get out here and enjoy the Career Fair and get a job!”

Seventy employers attended to recruit students from the college’s three HVAC and plumbing majors.

The most-recruited major at Fall Career Fair was construction management, which attracted 107 employers. Seventeen of the college’s academic majors were recruited by at least 60 companies, including engineering CAD technology and majors in welding, mechatronics, manufacturing, electrical, building automation and diesel.

Those recruiting current students and alumni included 190 Penn College graduates, who returned to campus to represent their employers.

Among them was Caleb M. Wise, a 2014 graduate of the college’s building automation technology major, and a 2012 graduate of electrical technology. Now a sales manager for OAESYS, he’s represented his employer at the Career Fair nearly every year since he graduated.

“It’s great to come back here, meet some of the students and see some of the faculty,” he said. “There’s definitely a lot of qualified candidates we’re getting to talk to, and we’re enjoying our time here.”

“It’s good to be back,” said Henry G. Gaffey, who, along with fellow December 2023 residential construction technology & management grad Cheyenne E. Stein, was helping to recruit for ISEC Inc. Both alumni also completed degrees in building construction technology.

“Being in the shoes on the other side, it was very intimidating being a student, seeing the tables, wondering if people were approachable,” Gaffey said. “We’re extremely approachable. We want everybody to come talk to us. Seeing it from the other side, how stressful it was, versus now, being able to just be like, anybody can come up to us. We’re pursuing PCT graduates, knowing the experience we had in the program. The experience matches very well to our company, and we’re hoping to get more Penn College grads.”

Compass Group USA brought seven recruiters to the event.

“We’re hiring for anything within our 28 specialized operating companies,” said Danielle Powers, director of communications, culture & success for the company, which provides culinary expertise, hospitality and facility services. “Compass usually says it’s a career for life, so no matter what you want to do, there’s a place in the organization to grow a career. Culinary, hospitality, business, administration, HR roles, corporate, marketing, data analysts, IT.”

Students in the college’s business & hospitality majors gain familiarity with Compass Group – part of Penn College’s Corporate Tomorrow Makers program – each spring when they complete weeklong internships at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby. Levy Restaurants, part of Compass Group USA, operates food services at the venue.

“I’m looking forward to our continued partnership,” Powers said. “From the students we have already spoken with today, Penn College supports great talent within its community!”

Also looking to fill “all different types of positions” was Geisinger Health System’s Lori Lopez, who attended the Penn College Career Fair for the second time and sought employees for hospitals in the health system’s northcentral region.

“I like to match students with their career goals,” she said. “There’s always a spot for them to apply within our company.”

The college encourages students at all levels to attend the Career Fair. First-semester architecture & sustainable design student Carissa J. Lusk, of Lititz, followed that advice.

“I’m looking to make connections and get more familiar with talking to people,” she said.

Devitt, who plans to complete his bachelor’s degree in May, can attest to the importance of what Lusk is doing. Devitt landed summer internships thanks to the opportunities he found at Penn College Career Fairs. Now he’s weighing where he will work after he graduates.

“I’ve definitely built a lot of connections with a lot of engineering firms to see a lot of options, so we’re going to see what happens!”

Penn College’s next Career Fair will be March 4-5.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.