Career Fair ends as win-win situation
USU’s 16th-annual Career Fair.
Employers screened potential applicants for jobs with businesses ranging from the IRS to the Idahoan, during what officials hope is a win-win situation for both parties.
Shane Larsen, a hiring coordinator for SkyWest Airlines, said his company was looking to fill pilot, flight attendant, mechanic and customer service positions. However, Larsen said, he was directing most of the focus toward the company’s internship program.
“Most of the jobs that people want are offered internally,” he said. “An internship is the most strategic way for advancement.”
SkyWest, an independent airline that contracts with Delta, has not been affected by Delta’s bankruptcy, Larsen said. Even though all contracts are void after a company files Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Larsen said Delta has already renewed its agreements with SkyWest, so hiring within the company has not suffered.
“We’re a regional company,” he said. “That has allowed us to get more business and to continue hiring during this difficult time for the airline industry.”
SkyWest is not alone in its growth. According to a report released earlier this year by the governor’s office, job growth in Utah is higher than the national average. In 2005, job growth in Utah was up 3.5 percent, compared to a national rate of 1.6. According to the report, more than 43,000 new jobs were created last year.
Patrick Grewe, a senior majoring in international studies, was one of the 1,500 USU students who took advantage of the fair Wednesday.
“It’s a good time to ask questions,” he said. “But no one is jumping up and down to give you a job.”
Other students had problems finding career opportunities. Amelia Chesley, a senior majoring in technical writing, said she had trouble finding positions related to her field.
“It’s kind of an awkward situation,” she said. “There are a lot of people and you would think that would be a good thing, but it’s overwhelming.”
Still, most employers seemed please with Wednesday’s turnout. Scott Erickson, human resources manager at Moore Wallace, said he has attended USU’s Career Fair over the past 10 years and has always been able to find qualified applicants.
“It went really well,” Jennifer Loscher, assistant director of Career Services, said. “We had a number of large employers and, from what we’ve heard, they’ve been impressed with students – the quantity and the quality.”
-acf@cc.usu.edu