Students met with more than 90 employers to learn about internships and jobs.

Last November, the department celebrated its 18th annual career fair, an event that showcased the strong connections between students and industry leaders. With more than 240 students engaging with 95 employers, the fair was a place for networking, learning and laying the groundwork for future careers.

Brian Kinnear, the lead undergraduate advisor for CEE, played a key role in organizing the event and was enthusiastic about how it turned out.

"The energy was through the roof. There was just a buzz in the room for the entire event. We were also excited to see many of our CEE alumni representing our employers," Kinnear said. 

He also noted the preparedness and positive response from all participants. "Our employers were very pleased with how prepared all of the students seemed to be."

This year marked the first time the department has hosted the fair during the autumn quarter, a change driven by employer requests and hiring trends. It served as an excellent opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with the professional world.

“Hopefully, [students] get internships and jobs, but also a familiarity with speaking with employers, which will carry over to interviews and the professional world as a whole,” Kinnear said.

Kinnear also discussed the importance of the department's prep sessions, which provided students with the tools they needed to get the most out of the career fair. 

Junior Robert Stricker, who attended the fair as a student and volunteer, said that he has already seen results from some of the interactions that he had.

"I had a good experience meeting many engineers and learning about the industry,” he said. “Since then, I have had several interviews for internships thanks to the connections I made at the career fair."

Looking ahead, the department is eagerly preparing for the upcoming 2024 career fair in October.