Hundreds of students seek employment at job fair

 

Durgin McCue

Staff Writer

Hudson Valley’s spring part-time job fair was a display of diverse part-time employment opportunities in the Capital Region. The fair ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. was held Feb. 4 and 5 in the ground floor lobby of the Siek Campus Center and attracted many students.

“There were easily hundreds [of students] that talked to other companies, and we’ve probably talked to at least 30 or 40. So it was a great turnout for sure,” said Ethan Robertshaw, a sales representative with Vivint.

The size and regional prominence of the employers at the fair varied greatly from one table to the next. Some of the employers were large multinational corporations such as Aflac, FedEx, and CAP COM Federal Credit Union, while others were smaller local entities, such as Bob’s Lawn Service from Wynantskill and Albany-based Past Life Entertainment.

Attendees of the fair were primarily looking for part-time work to fit their schedules. Nakia Boozer, a digital media major, also reflected many students’ financial needs by saying, “I’m looking for part-time work to help pay for rent and stuff like that.”

“I have an assignment for a career planning class, but I’m also looking for a part-time job,” said Jessica Garcia, a mortuary science major. “So, I can start setting up meetings and interviews.”

Several students who attended the fair did so for the same career planning class assignment that Garcia mentioned. “I’m here for a class,” said Nick Liuzzi, a criminal justice major. “My teacher told me it’s here today and tomorrow and we should come hunt for jobs.”

Others at the fair were looking for a replacement job for one they already had that wasn’t providing what they desired. “I’m looking for employment,” said Simson Hart, a business administration major. “I have a job now, but I am looking for something better.”

Some of the students at the fair learned of its existence through advertisements. “I saw a flyer for it on a table in the campus center,” said Hart.

Boozer said, “There’s flyers all around.”

Others knew about the fair through past experiences or faculty members. “I learned about this fair from a teacher, and also from last semester,” said Garcia. “They always have job fairs.”

Some of the employers were attending the fair for the first time, attracted by the reputation of Hudson Valley alumni. “We’ve had good experiences with people who have gone to Hudson Valley before,” said William Gamble, the owner of Pinhole Press. “We are looking to hopefully find some energetic new employees.”

Other employers at the fair were returning because of the positive experiences they had at the fair in past years. “I’ve been here a few years, and I’ve come here almost every time for the part-time job fair,” said Jean Ginter, an employment services coordinator for Lexington Center.

“We had a pretty good turnout last year; we had some pretty good applicants,” said Elias Cox, an HR specialist from Janitronics. “In our last experience we had 30 to 40 people.”

Some of the employers at the fair included Hudson Valley alumni. The CEO of Past Life Entertainment, Themba Knowles, partially completed his degree in film and new media at Hudson Valley.

“This is my first time at this fair, but this is not my first time on this campus,” said Knowles. “I’m actually an alumni of this institution.”

Another business at the fair with roots at Hudson Valley was Monolith Solar Associates. “Actually, the owners of the company met in a solar energy class through Hudson Valley,” said Tim Carr, a strategic account manager for Monolith Solar associates. “In general, Hudson Valley has been great for us.”