OSU Institute of Technology hosted the spring Combined Career Fair Tuesday in order to better connect students looking for internship and job opportunities with companies in need of skilled workers.

The fair was aimed at students in the schools of Construction Technologies, Energy Technologies, Engineering Technologies, Information Technologies and Visual Communications.

Representatives from companies in those industries were on hand to meet and talk with students looking for internship or employment opportunities, including American Electric Power (AEP), Phillips 66, Shell Oil Company, Crossland Construction, eLynx Technologies, RAE Corporation, ONEOK, and Texas Instruments, just to name a few.

Lucas Jarrett is a recruiter for Crossland and said it’s important for companies to have a presence at career fairs.

“You’ve got to come see the students, shake their hands,” Jarrett said. “If you’re looking to hire someone who will become a project manager, they have to be able to talk to people. Someone may look great on paper, but they have to have those people skills.”

Jarrett said Crossland comes to the career fairs held at OSUIT every year, and that face-to-face time has benefitted students and the company.

We’ve had success with interns and hired full-time employees from OSUIT,” he said.

Derek Shaw is a student in the Civil Engineering Technology program and came to the career fair to look for internship opportunities that might lead to a permanent position.

“I think it’s great they have these career fairs; I wish they would do more,” Shaw said. “It’s good because students can come and see and talk to the representatives from these companies.”

Joe Bartlett is an instructor in the Pipeline Integrity Technology program and said even if students don’t find an internship or job, attending the combined career fair is worth their time and effort.

 It’s huge for networking. The students better understand what the industry needs and at the same time, industry sees what the schools and their students can offer them,” Bartlett said. “It’s a great chance for students to find where they might want to go work or where they don’t want to go.”

It’s also an opportunity for instructors and deans to network with companies and employers as well.

It gives us a chance to assess the condition of the industry we serve,” he said.

Jarrett said it’s critical universities organize and host events like the Combined Career Fair.

It’s imperative to do that. If you don’t have these fairs, your students never get seen,” Jarrett said.