News

Career fair a success story for some

Haley Johnston

Mark Boucher, an electrical and computer engineering student, speaks with an engineering organization at the annual career fair held Wednesday at the New Balance Student Recreation Center.

By Anne Chase

Posted on Feb. 02, 2012, at 12:37 a.m.

Taking time out between classes on Wednesday, students arrived at the University of Maine’s New Balance Student Recreation Center for the annual UMaine Career Fair, dressed professionally and equipped with resumes.

There were 89 companies present at the event, sponsored by the Career Center.

Three employers were forced to cancel because of weather conditions, but additions to the fair included Bangor Savings Bank and the Metso Corporation. Patty Counihan, director of the Career Center, said this year’s career fair was larger than last year’s.

“I was afraid students would be discouraged,” Counihan said, referring to an article in the Jan. 30 issue of The Maine Campus about the lack of in-state employment opportunities for the graduating class of 2012. “There are a lot of opportunities here.”

For some students at least, Counihan’s fear of discouragement was realized. Christopher Goodwin, a fourth-year chemistry and mathematics student, didn’t have good luck with the first business he approached.

“I walked up and said, ‘Oh, I’m a chemist,‘ and they said that they didn’t have any positions,” Goodwin said. “They were looking for a biochemist. The only real difference is the title.”

Goodwin had specific companies in mind when he arrived at the fair. His second stop was the booth for IDEXX Laboratories, a company that manufactures medicine for animals.

Goodwin walked up, gave his major and asked if there was a place for him. Jamie Cavanaugh, the representative for IDEXX, confirmed that there was always a place for chemists, suggesting Goodwin go to their website to research open positions.

“Check and see if anything strikes your fancy,” Cavanaugh said.

“That went much, much, much better,” Goodwin said, smiling as he walked away. “It actually went well.”

While it’s not his ideal choice, Goodwin has also considered working for the military. His hang-up is the possible manufacturing of weapon, which he is opposed to.

“I know a lot of people who have applied to the military to be scientists,” Goodwin said.

Other students were more decided in their approach. Nicole Slevinsky, a fifth-year marketing and management student, has an interview scheduled with Sherwin-Williams, America’s largest paint producer, next week.

“I’m here trying to get my name in again. I’m trying to be persistent,” Slevinsky said. “If you’re persistent, there’s no reason to worry.”

TRC Solutions, a national engineering, consulting and construction management firm with offices in Augusta, Ellsworth and South Portland, was one of the businesses in attendance.

“Our core group is four or five UMaine grads,” said Tim Farrar, a representative for the firm. “We have actually made verbal offers to some students today.”

Carolyn Tacy of the Washington Center for Internships, also at the fair, emphasized the importance of internship opportunities.

“It is almost essential to take an internship right now,” she said. “They teach you what is going on in your field. Approximately 87 percent of students choose to intern. Many do more than one.”

But Goodwin, like many other undergraduate students, is are looking toward further education as a solution after graduation.

“I’m putting a lot more stock in grad schools,” Goodwin said.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012, 12:37 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.