Durham College recently hosted its largest job fair, bringing together more than 85 employers and more than 2,600 students.
The event provided students and alumni with valuable opportunities to explore career prospects, network with industry professionals and gain insights into the job market.
Lucy Romeo Vandepol, director of student and career development at Durham College, emphasized the fair’s primary objective was “to provide an opportunity for students and alumni to connect with employers.”
The college carefully selects the employers who attend based on their relationships with the institution and their interest in hiring students.
“The employers that attended are employers that we have relationships with, employers that have reached out to us, that have demonstrated an interest, as well as employers that match some of the programs that we offer here,” she explained.
The event was fully booked with 90 employers, but due to weather conditions, a few had to cancel at the last minute. “We sold out in terms of employers; we reached 90, which was our target,” said Romeo Vandepol.
While many students benefited from networking at the event, some found limited representation in their respective fields.
Bruce Chenguang, a cybersecurity student from Ontario Tech University, noted a lack of opportunities in the tech sector. “There are only two tech companies here, so there’s not a lot of positions really related to what I study,” he said.
Similarly, Anastaisia Wood, an electrical engineering student, found it difficult to determine whether employers offered jobs or placements within her field. “Finding a company that specifically does stuff in my field—there’s a few where it’s unclear whether or not they offer my course as a job or placements within my course,” she said.
Muneeb Bhatti, a computer science student, had similar concerns. “The hardest thing for me personally is just finding someone hiring in my field,” he said. “I haven’t really had much luck so far, but I still talked to people, networked, and was told about things that might happen in the future that could benefit me, even though it’s not right now.”
Despite challenges in specific industries, students still found value in attending the fair. Chenguang appreciated the chance to explore fields he hadn’t previously considered.
“I can see a lot of positions opening in police departments, in cities and in a lot of construction companies, and those are not the typical positions I would search online, so it’s definitely good to see them in person,” he said.
Looking ahead, Chenguang planned to act quickly on potential leads. “I got a lot of brochures. I’m probably just going to look through them and apply tonight,” he said.
Bhatti also emphasized the importance of in-person networking. “I definitely think this is a great way to create an impression,” he said. “Because I think face-to-face introductions like this are so much better than just kind of adding someone on LinkedIn or just applying on a website.”
He stressed the significance of preparation and standing out in a competitive job fair environment. “A lot of these employers are talking to so many students that in order to stand out and have a good conversation, you really have to be ready and prepared,” he said.
“You really got to make sure you make a good first impression.”
Despite the event’s success, students provided constructive feedback for future improvements. Bhatti suggested increasing the diversity of employers. “I would like to see a little bit more variety of the employers,” he said. “There’s like large chunks of employers that all belong to the same field.”
The high attendance presented some logistical challenges. Wood highlighted issues with crowd flow, stating: “It can be hard to navigate the booths and people kind of pushing front, or if there’s a line, someone might go in front of you while you’re waiting.”
To address these concerns, organizers had already implemented new crowd management strategies based on previous experiences and feedback. “This year, we’ve been managing the door a little bit differently and sometimes putting a pause on the number of people coming in just to allow students to exit as well,” said Romeo Vandepol.
Employers attending the fair also shared insights into what they look for in candidates. Glen Young, an employer from Cold Springs Organics, emphasized that passion is a key quality. “I want somebody that is passionate about growing real food, about leaving the planet better than we found it,” he said.
Young previously hired a Durham College student and had a positive experience. “She was fantastic, and, you know, she worked really hard and enjoyed it on the farm,” he said.
He encouraged students to take an active approach to networking. “You have to get out of your comfort zone and talk to people. The more people you talk to, the more chances you’re going to make a connection, and, you know, that might lead to getting a job,” Young said.
He also emphasized the importance of a well-crafted résumé and proactive follow-ups. “I also think that you have to put your best foot forward in the résumé, making sure that you have a complete résumé with all of the right information on it,” Young said.
Young advised students to follow up promptly with employers. “You can think about how busy all of the hiring managers are and if you follow up with an email the next day or the same day and say, ‘I just met you at the job fair and it was fantastic.’ Now say something that’s going to remind me of who you are,” he explained.
To help students maximize their job fair experience, Durham College organized several preparatory workshops, including LinkedIn training, résumé drop-in sessions and personal pitch networking sessions.
Romeo Vandepol urged students to prepare in advance.
She said, “My advice to those students would be to prepare ahead of time, to practice their personal pitches, to dress appropriately, to research who was coming ahead of time so that they know a little bit about the company and that they’ve got a game plan for coming in.”
For students seeking ongoing career support, Durham College offers employment services year-round.
“I encourage students to connect with us, to book appointments, to meet with our employment and career coaches for help with their personal marketing tools, their résumé, their cover letter, interview skills,” said Romeo Vandepol.