Though she was hesitant to attend, Candice da Silva knew the difference a job fair could make in the life of a student who came prepared.

Equipped with her resumé, the Maple, Ont. native visited last year’s Recreation and Leisure job fair and turned the outing into two jobs with the Township of King.

With a new format this year that combines five career fairs from around the University, da Silva hopes others will come to the Tuesday Jan. 28 Experience Expo event ready to showcase their skills.

Candice da Silva

“The fair is a really great place to get an idea of what types of jobs are out there,” she said. “I was looking specifically for something closer to home, and there were several great options, including the Township of King, which hired me as a camp counsellor and then a program facilitator.”

Hosted by Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE), the Department of Geography and Tourism, and the Department of Recreation and Leisure, the two-hour event aims to connect students directly with employers who are offering jobs and co-op work terms.

For Cara Krezek, Director of CCEE, the event represents a chance to bring numerous on- and off-campus partners together and to encourage students to seek out their next steps.

“We know students are focused on part-time, full-time, on-campus and summer employment and that often those interests and opportunities overlap,” she said. “By bringing together industry partners at the University, we have streamlined our students’ ability to find jobs that align with their current and future needs.”

Running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Experience Expo is free to all current Brock students and will welcome more than 30 employers to the Ian Beddis Gymnasium where they will set up information booths, facilitate networking opportunities, host on-the-spot interviews and run 20-minute fireside chats.

With the fair also welcoming employers looking to hire co-op students for the Summer and Fall terms and bilingual (English and French) employees, there are positions available for students from any Faculty who come ready to explore diverse career opportunities.

To prepare, Krezek said participants should treat the two-hour event as though they were heading to a job interview.

“We hope they will dress professionally and bring an up-to-date resumé,” she said. “But beyond those basic requirements, it’s also important to prepare an ‘elevator pitch’ about who they are and what skills and experiences they have as well as to research the employers who will be at the event.”

Prior to the event, staff in CareerZone are available to help students prepare for a variety of the crucial skills necessary when beginning career exploration.

With so many resources available, both before and during the fair, da Silva hopes students will embrace the opportunity to explore such a wide range of options.

“As intimidating as it can feel to introduce yourself to a potential employer, everyone there is super friendly and they want to connect with you,” she said. If you do your homework beforehand and come prepared, you will have a great experience.”

More information about the event, including a full list of employers and a link for registration, can be found on the ExperienceBU website.