For the first time since the start of the pandemic, TRU’s annual Job Fair will return to a fully in-person format on Feb. 1. Featuring over 100 different prospective employers, the 2024 TRU Job Fair is shaping up to be the biggest iteration of the event in its more than two-decade history according to organizers.
Each year the Career and Experiential Learning (CEL) department organizes and hosts these events, offering students a chance to network with potential employers, seek information and distribute resumes. Opportunities will range from summer positions to full-time careers. Regardless of the discipline or field of study, attendees should be able to find a company that matches their interests.
“Students [will] basically, like in any trade show, go booth-to-booth and talk to employers during the day,” Larry Isles, a CEL Experiential Learning coordinator, said.
Similar to past years, the 2024 Job Fair will take place in the Campus Activity Centre’s main lobby and Grand Hall. However, due to increased demand, organizers have added the Mountain Room to locations where booths may be located.
Prior to attending the event, students are encouraged to attend an “Are You Ready?” workshop to help prepare them for success at the fair. There will be five different workshops and info sessions starting on Jan. 24 until Jan. 31.
“Lots of employers will be taking resumes on-site, and some may even be interviewing on the spot,” Jordyn Gronskei, a career education events assistant at the CEL, said on why workshops are beneficial. “First impressions are big, so you want to make sure you’re giving off a professional first impression.”
No registration is required, but student IDs will need to be on hand to participate, and people will be able to navigate the fair by following legends that will be available in CAC.
Last year, more than 90 employers set up booths. With over a hundred companies represented this year, the 2024 Job Fair will likely be the busiest yet.
“We get about 2,000 students through the doors between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. It’s intense,” Isles said.
This growth and success were attributed to a variety of factors, according to CEL staff. One of which is how companies are trying to affirm in-person workplaces since the pandemic ended.
“There has been a virtual option [for the fair] in the past three years during the pandemic and a face-to-face,” Isles, who has been with TRU in some capacity for 27 years, said. “We’re not doing the virtual option anymore.”
More information about the “Are You Ready?” workshops and info sessions can be found on the CEL website and the TRU Student Life Instagram page.