Students looking for part-time jobs to help make some extra cash while studying at St. Clair College had employers brought to their doorstep Wednesday at the second annual College part-time Job Fair.
About 15 employers set up booths at the Student Life Centre between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sept. 25, accepting resumes and applications from more than 500 interested students.
"A handful of these employers have multitudes of opportunities," said Cody Brown, a Career Services Officer at St. Clair College.
"The cost of tuition can be high. You have living expenses, especially for anyone who's not a local student," Brown said. "The ability to give them job opportunities, to get a part-time job while they're studying, giving them the opportunity to get a little bit of a bankroll to help carry them through, is a great benefit to our students."
External employers, such as Diageo, H&R Block and Discovery Day Care were on site – some looking to hire a handful of students, while others were looking to fill 20 to 30 openings.
Caesars Windsor is one of those employers, filling vacancies in hospitality and gaming room operations.
"They're always looking for a large number of people, and that's why they've been a great partner for a lot of our events," said Brown.
The College also has many internal opportunities, some through the work-study program with the Saints Brigades, Tutoring Services and even in Research and Innovation, where three students who attended were hired on the spot, said Brown.
"A lot of students don't know that tutoring is a job opportunity, so I think sometimes, it's about creating awareness, too," said Brown. "Because once one student knows, others find out, and if someone wasn't able to attend, then maybe their friends tell them about the opportunities available right here at the College."
If you missed the job fair, The Genesis Experiential Learning and Career Centre offers job readiness support for students year-round, including assistance with creating a resume from certified specialists, writing tailored cover letters and even helping students prepare with interview coaching.
The department also offers a job fair readiness workshop to help students put their best foot forward when they attend job fairs or networking events.
During the Winter semester, The Genesis Centre also hosts career fairs which are more specific to each of the schools at St. Clair College, bringing in field-related employers looking to hire students upon graduation.
"We're trying to break down that wall, if you will, and prepare students as much as we can to ensure that they're being as successful as possible, and making sure that these events actually hold value based on their ability to go out and market themselves," Brown said.
The Genesis Centre has daily drop-in hours or you can schedule a meeting with a Career Services Officer. The team also has a presence at the downtown Windsor and Chatham campuses every month.
"One of the College slogans is 'Start Here, Go Anywhere,' and we're sort of the finish line of that saying," said Brown. "And honestly, probably the best part of this job is when you get students who come up to you after the fact and they tell us your help was the reason that they got a job."
"Knowing that you were able to help them start their journey, it echoes that sentiment and guiding principle of St. Clair College," Brown said.
The Genesis Experiential Learning and Career Centre is located at the Main South Windsor campus in Room A1229, across from Tim Hortons.
Email careercentral@stclaircollege.ca to obtain more information or get help with a job search.
