Penn College students in great demand at Career Fair

Recruitment during Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Spring Career Fair reflected the school’s 97.7% overall graduate placement rate. More than 300 companies – from Fortune 500 corporations to regional businesses – attended the March 4-5 event, offering ample full-time employment and internship opportunities.

About 1,230 students, representing the schools of Engineering Technologies; Nursing & Health Sciences; and Business, Arts & Sciences, engaged with employers in the college’s Bardo Gymnasium and Field House.

“Our Career Fair provided an incredible opportunity for employers to connect with top-tier talent, and the enthusiasm from companies eager to recruit both interns and upcoming graduates was truly inspiring,” said Stacey L. Girven, career & alumni events manager. “The high level of engagement demonstrates the strong partnership Penn College has with industry leaders, who recognize the potential of our students and are eager to bring them into their organizations.”

Over 150 alumni – many of whom benefited from the Career Fair while attending Penn College – returned to campus recruiting today’s students. That group included Michael C. Rodarmel, a 2017 building automation technology graduate, representing Honeywell.

“I have two internships to fill and that’s just for my region. In Orlando alone, we have three Penn College grads. Off the top of my head, we have about 14 working for us on the East Coast,” said Rodarmel, Honeywell’s technical operations manager for the south.

Honeywell focuses on automation, aviation and energy transition. The company is a member of the Visionary Society ($100,000-$499,999) on the college’s Donor Wall.

Rodarmel secured his own internship with Honeywell at the Career Fair while a Penn College student. “The atmosphere at the Career Fair is awesome,” he said. “You don’t see too many colleges do something like this, not to this level.”

Michael McGarry has attended the Career Fair for 13 years, seeking both full-time employees and interns in his role as national sales manager for TRAK Machine Tools. The Corporate Tomorrow Maker provides technology for toolroom and production machining environments.

The skill level of Penn College graduates is the reason McGarry is a consistent presence at the biannual recruitment event. “We have 49 of our machines here, so Penn College students come out very well prepared to work with our equipment,” he said. “When you walk through the machine shop and see what they can make at a young age, it’s phenomenal.”

Students in majors related to automated manufacturing and machining were in high demand along with those enrolled in several other academic clusters, including: electrical; diesel truck, heavy equipment and power generation; building automation engineering; and welding and metal fabrication.

The most-sought individual major at the Career Fair was construction management, which attracted 67 employers. Thirteen majors were recruited by at least 40 employers.

Camren J. Ferrara, of Lock Haven, is enrolled in one of those majors – engineering design technology. The sophomore was targeting about a dozen companies in trying to secure a summer internship.

“It’s good to build relations with different companies. It may not lead to an internship or job right away, but it’s good to build that connection and relationship with a company early on and come back to them every single year,” he said.

First-year student Hannah A. Hale, of Williamsport, agreed. Majoring in building construction technology, she visited 10 booths within the first hour of the Career Fair, exploring internship opportunities.

“I’m trying to get my feet wet, to start talking to employers. Some of these companies I never heard of before, so it’s a great way to learn who they are and what they do and look at all the different opportunities that we have,” she said.

Like Hale, freshman electrical construction student Jase R. Wack, of Millersburg, was in search of an internship. “I truly love that the college does this. It allows you to get so many connections,” he said. “I will visit as many booths as I’m able to.”

“It was especially encouraging to see so many freshmen and sophomores engaging with potential employers for summer work-based experiences to complement their academics,” said Shelley L. Moore, senior director of Penn College’s Center for Career Design. “This signals a bright future for our next generation of tomorrow makers.”

Evan J. Urbanavage, a freshman construction management student from Harrisburg, already has secured a summer internship, but he couldn’t pass up the networking opportunity.

“The Career Fair is really big for us. Our one professor (Wayne R. Sheppard) calls it our Super Bowl. It’s a good way to get out there because networking is very important in construction management. I’m getting my name out, so I know people in the industry when I go out in the field,” he said. “The employers seem to be very hospitable, and they want to talk to you.”

Representatives from Groff Tractor & Equipment talked to several students shortly after the Career Fair opened. “We probably had eight candidates in the first 10 minutes,” said Samantha White, director of human resources. “We’re happy with the turnout.”

A Corporate Tomorrow Maker and member of the Heritage Society ($50,000-$99,999) on the college’s Donor Wall, Groff Tractor & Equipment is a full-line construction equipment dealer.

“We’re looking for both interns and full-time employment at all eight locations,” White said. “Graduates from here have been super valuable to us. The quality and talent that we get from Penn College has been nothing but phenomenal.”

Target Rock, a business unit within Curtiss-Wright Corp., a Corporate Tomorrow Maker, has employment commitments from three Penn College welding students who are scheduled to graduate this May. The company, which manufactures and tests valves for critical applications, was seeking additional recruits for internships and full-time opportunities.

“Penn College has the right kind of students with the talent and mindset for the skills that we are looking for,” said Bobby Sodhi, manufacturing engineer manager for Target Rock.

About 20 employers remained on campus following the Career Fair to interview over 100 students.

“We were thrilled with both the student turnout and employer participation in the Spring Career Fair,” Moore said. “The event buzzed with excitement and energy, showcasing the strong demand for our talented students. It served as validation for the college’s commitment to hands-on learning and industry partnerships.”

Penn College’s next Career Fair will be Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

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