Barry's Career Services responds to trends with industry-specific events

 

 

Barry University’s Career Services responds to student trends with industry-specific events
Career Fairs targeting specific students and recruiters appeal to Millennial generation students

Here at Barry University, our Office of Career Services has begun changing the so-called “typical” way that colleges prepare students for their future careers.

Between text messaging, YouTube and the news blog, today’s students are used to having information come directly to them. This steady stream of information has necessitated that student services change their techniques as well, bringing their information directly to students and tailoring it to their needs. BU’s Career Services is doing just that, with a year of first-time events that target specific students and employers.

“I think it’s a general trend with the millennial student generation, they want to have everything tailored and specific,” said Amy Diepenbrock, PhD, director of Barry’s Career Services. “That’s why many schools nationally are going towards this type of programming.”

At Barry, this is taking the shape of industry-specific career fairs, bringing together students and employers from like majors and career paths. Career Services hosted the first of these events last week with a Graduate School Information Fair and Business, Sports and Communication Fair bringing in close to 300 students. In the past, Barry’s Career Services, with many throughout the nation, has hosted a large general career fair for students and alumni. With changing students interests, however, these general fairs have also needed to become more specialized.

“The idea is that everyone who walks through the door will be interested in being there,” Diepenbrock said. “Students won’t be interested in a handful of the companies represented; they’ll be interested in most of the employers at the event.”

Both fairs last week were the result of specific student feedback. When Barry students were surveyed upon graduation, over 20 percent of them stated that they were continuing directly to graduate school. The first-time Graduate School Information Fair is a direct result of this data. Likewise, after previous general career fairs, Career Services had received student feedback asking for more recruiters targeting their major. The Business, Sports and Communication Fair, along with additional industry-specific events being held later this academic year will cater to that feedback.

In addition to better serving students, these events also cater to the recruiters. “There are a lot of employers who will only come to specific career fairs,” Diepenbrock said. “Specifically in the sciences and health fields, there are a lot of employers who will only go to a nursing or health sciences fair.”

The Business, Sports and Communication Fair began a schedule of industry-specific events that will continue throughout the year. In February, Career Services will host a nursing and health sciences fair, in addition to a social services fair held in conjunction with Barry’s Social Work Festival. In March, the office will host an education fair, with a second business, sports and communication fair being held in April.

If you would like to contact me for additional information and/or to set up a possible interview with those in Career Services, please contact me at any of my numbers listed below, or phone Diepenbrock at (305) 899-3956.