Idaho State University kicks off fall semester with part-time jobs, back-to-business fairs
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The first week of school at ISU is always filled with daily events for students. Some are geared towards incoming freshman to help them meet fellow students and explore campus opportunities. Thursday's agenda included both the part-time job fair and the Back to Business fair.
The part-time job fair put on by the Career Center offers an opportunity for students to meet with local employers about internships and jobs in their chosen field. Organizer Virginia Barnett said all majors and class levels are welcome at the fair.
"We have over 30 employers both on and off campus for all majors to help our students," Barnett said. "Being able to find temporary work, work study and internships is really important for our students."
Some of the booths included the City of Pocatello, Mountain View Event Center, and several local clinics. Organizers said all participating companies offer positions that are flexible with students' schedules. As returning and incoming students adjust to the stress of the semester, these employers understand the need to balance work and school.
"We have employers for students of all majors, some of them are looking for part-time and some could be full-time," she said. "These are more professional level positions that are government, for profit or non-profit, large and small."
Barnett said the university often sees students in the career center who believe their only option for employment while in school is fast food or retail. Events like the part-time job fair show students a range of side jobs within their field of study.
"We want our students to not be intimidated to just say hello, I'd love to work with you," she said. "Practice is key."
Students did their elevator pitches and heard from real, local employers about the job market. Because of the lasting benefits of these fairs, Barnett says they do several throughout the year.
On September 30 from 10-2 p.m., the career center will host the STEM and Business Fair at the Student Union Building Ballroom. Barnett said this is the first year the two fairs have been combined, and they look forward to serving hundreds of students throughout the day.
"We feel there's just a broader range of employers that can come in for student opportunities, and employers can still sign up to participate," she said.
All the information for the upcoming STEM and Business Fair next month is at the Career Center's website at https://www.isu.edu/career/.
Over at the quad lawn, the College of Business held the Back-to-Business event with free food, business student booths and a dunk-a-professor dunk tank. The College of Business offers many opportunities like the traveling sales team and fellowships. Senior students greeted incoming freshman at the event to tell them about the opportunities in the programs the college offers.
