With over 100 employers registered for the annual TRU Job Fair, students will have a variety of companies to network with and submit their resumes to.
Job opportunities will stretch across all disciplines taught on campus, and students will be directed by maps that will be available upon entering the CAC on Feb. 1.
Although every company attending the job fair will be eager to meet with prospective applicants, one industry above all others may have the most to gain. Following employment trends from recent years, skilled tradespersons are expected to continue to be in high demand.
This past week the Omega had an opportunity to speak with one such employer, Cooper Equipment Rentals.
Cooper Equipment Rentals–one of the event’s main sponsors–specializes in renting various heavy construction, aerial, and compaction equipment to primarily construction companies. With over a dozen branches in BC alone, this national company is looking to grow its team at the fair.
Konner Madsen, a recruiter for Cooper in British Columbia and Alberta, elaborated on the positions the company may be looking to fill.
“At each branch, we obviously have similar positions,” Madsen said. “We look for everyone from a general labourer to a shop helper, all the way up to a Class 1 to 3 drivers as well as mechanics [and] gasfitters.”
In addition to these roles that may appeal to students involved in the trades or looking to get started in the industry, Madsen also said there are opportunities in sales, information technology, human resources, and managerial positions that may be more suited to business or computing science students.
“We always have apprenticeships open,” Madsen said, referring to opportunities that may appeal to trades students. “We’re always looking to add young up-and-coming mechanics, female and male, all to our team.”
Madsen explained that the primary focus isn’t necessarily what the applicants are studying or how many years they’ve completed in their program, emphasizing that other qualities are also important.
“We are looking at good people who come to work every day with a smile on their face and [who] want to make a difference,” Madsen said.
Although the overall employment rate in Canada dropped slightly between December 2022 and 2023, according to Stats Canada, Cooper Equipment has successfully been adding new hires.
“As far applicants go, it’s quite steady. We get an influx of applicants for each role,” Madsen said.
Cooper Equipment will distribute QR code pamphlets that display all available job postings in the region. Depending on the booth, students can expect a variety of literature and resources related to career opportunities.
Cooper Equipment Rentals is just one of the over 100 employers accessible at the biggest iteration of TRU’s annual job fair.