October 9, 2014

Written by Mark Keller, director of college advancement
Featured in "On Campus" in the Medicine Hat News

One of the stock functions of any college is to unite prospective employees with prospective employers, a task your college does pretty darn well.

Often it takes a year or more for the connection between student and employer to be made. For example, you might enrol in a program, develop skills and knowledge in the space of a year or two or more, graduate, and then begin the process of looking for work in your chosen field.

Given that 89 percent our grads are employed and working in Alberta, I feel pretty confident saying this process works well.

But a few times each year, the college works to unite employers and potential employees face-to-face. Bang. Today. Right now. Sometimes a dream job comes out of the meetings. Sometimes a person learns in more detail just what it takes to get that dream job.

Either way, it is a helpful step for anyone thinking about their future career.

One of those opportunities is coming up on October 15 with the annual COMMUNITY Career Fair.

I’m stressing COMMUNITY for a reason. That being, the entire community is welcome to attend. That means you. Your friends. Your family. Your distant relatives who are staying to enjoy leftovers from Thanksgiving. You are all welcome to visit the Career Fair.

What you’ll find on campus are 60 or more employers here to support the recruitment of the people they need. You’ll have an opportunity to meet with potential employers, learn what it takes to join their teams, and possibly, make that personal connection that can make all the difference in a future job search.

You don’t need to be looking for work just now to make this a worthwhile trip to campus. Shopping for a college program? Talking with employers is a great way to learn if your expectations align with the realities of the work place. Thinking of career change? Learn what it will take to land the job you want.

And employers, if you’re thinking how attending the COMMUNITY Career Fair might support your business, act fast! I’m told that we only have space to host 65 employers and we have 62 on board today.

Learn more by visiting the college website. Just search ‘career fair’ and you’ll find contact information and event details.

Visit www.mhc.ab.ca to learn more about your college, contact Mark Keller with your questions at mkeller@mhc.ab.ca or follow him on Twitter @mark_mhc.

The Medicine Hat News is a great community partner. Thanks!