As the national economy struggles to recover from the pandemic and the unemployment rate hovers around 6.3%, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics February report, UW-Stout’s Career Services continues to see employers seeking to hire students and graduates.
“We know that UW-Stout students are still being recruited across many industries. And we are continuing to see employers reach out to us looking for ways to engage and hire UW-Stout students,” said Bryan Barts, Career Services director
Career Services provides access to state and nationwide job postings, that suit students’ interests, skills and degrees. Students can access nearly 500 postings direct from employer partners and more than 38,000 Wisconsin-based postings within CareerLink.
More than 700 students were enrolled in the Cooperative Education and Internship Program last year, receiving on-the-job professional experiences.
As industries look to hire Blue Devils, Career Services is committed to students’ success in their goals and to strengthening its partnerships with employers and their hiring needs. Students and employers are encouraged to take advantage of the many career and professional resources offered this spring, Barts said.
Spring Career Conference, March 2-4
More than 150 companies looking to hire students for co-op and internship positions or full-time opportunities will participate in the Spring Career Conference, Tuesday through Thursday, March 2-4.
For the virtual event, Career Services has partnered with Career Fair Plus to provide students a seamless experience and the opportunity to schedule one-on-one meetings with recruiters. During the fall virtual conference, there were more than 2,600 individualized, 10-minute meetings between students and employers.
“Many of the companies are new or returning to UW-Stout to help them get ahead of the recruiting curve,” Barts said.
Students can schedule a meeting with recruiters directly in the Career Fair Plus app, available to download to iOS or download to Android. A list of companies is also available to students by logging onto the Career Services Stout Cloud page or on the Career Fair Plus app.
Employers and students were given a post-event survey after the fall conference, and many reported on how well the virtual experience went.
“We weren't sure about the [virtual] format going into things. We are very pleased that we did decide to attend. Largely, to continue gaining exposure with students and continue conversations we had previous semesters. The app and format worked flawlessly,” a participating employer wrote.
And a student commented, “I thought this was a great opportunity to meet one-on-one with employers. It was just as good if not better than past career conferences.”
“Although we are hopeful for a return to more in-person opportunities in the fall, the benefits of connecting students and employers virtually has proven to be effective,” Barts said.
Career Services has four full-time career counselors who can meet with students virtually to assist with resume development, co-op or internship searching, interviewing, negotiations and even graduate school searches.
To schedule a virtual appointment, students may call 715-232-1601.
Other spring career events
Career Services collaborated with student organizations to host Career Conference Prep Week, Feb. 15-25, offering programs aimed at educating and empowering students to be successful at the Career Conference, including resume and interview tips and how to negotiate salaries.
Students may also access the Career Conference Prep and Job Search Essentials courses embedded into their Canvass system at any time and check out other offerings on StoutCloud, Canvas, CareerLink and Connect.
Other opportunities connecting students and employers this spring are Employer in Residence, Career Treks and employer-sponsored events. Students can interact with select companies virtually throughout the semester through the Employer in Residence program. February presenters were Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, KwikTrip and L.E. Phillips Career Development Center.
The UW System collaborated to create Career Treks, weekly information sessions featuring Wisconsin companies looking to hire students and for students to learn about companies, hiring, culture and networking opportunities. There are 13 sessions planned for the spring semester, and Career Services anticipates continuing the program in the future.
Level Up Your Networking Game is a collaborative Equity, Diversity and Inclusion event aimed at providing students with career awareness, education and networking opportunities. Panelists and keynote presenters from JAMF software will be sharing career and professional advice on Tuesday, March 30.
The 2020-21 Employment Guide features Career Services programs, career readiness and networking tips, job document samples and more. Career Services will soon release its 2019-2020 Annual Employment Report, which outlines the successes students achieved in the past year.
