More than 400 prospective employees and employers came together at Penn State New Kensington for the fifth annual Alle-Kiski Job Fair on Oct. 4 in the Athletics Center.
Forty-six regional companies with a total of 110 representatives were on hand to interview local job seekers and to provide career options for current students and recent graduates, as well as those in the community who were seeking a change in vocation.
"Once again we had the opportunity to provide the community with the chance to meet local employers who are hiring," said Jim Shields, career services coordinator at the New Kensington campus and a member of the committee that organized the fair. "There are jobs out there, and I think it’s great the campus can play a role in meeting the needs of the community."
The event featured full- and part-time employment, internships and co-op opportunities, both regionally and nationally. Employment opportunities were available in a variety of fields, including health care, finance, retail and manufacturing. The job fair was sponsored by Penn State New Kensington and Pennsylvania CareerLink of Alle-Kiski.
"I’m glad to be able to provide these resources and local contacts to our students and graduates," Shields said. "Through this continued partnership with the CareerLink, we are able to help connect employers and job seekers in this region."
The next job fair is sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania Career Services (WESTPACS) Association. The College Job and Internship Fair is set from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, at the Monroeville Convention Center in Monroeville, Pa. Recruiters from a wide variety of industries, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations will attend. The fair is geared toward fall 2012 and spring 2013 graduates and recent alumni with program certificates and degrees in all majors.
"Job seekers will be able to discuss current openings and network with employers hiring in more than 20 career fields," said Shields. "It is the premier job fair for college students and graduates in Western Pennsylvania.” Sponsored by the WestPACS Consortium of 44 colleges and universities in western Pennsylvania, the job fair is open to students and graduates from two- and four-year degree programs. Preregistration is available at http://www.westpacs.org/ online.
For more about other job fairs and career services at the New Kensington campus, contact Shields at 724-334-6065 or at xjs8@psu.edu via email or visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/StudentServices/CareerServices/29179.htm online.