Students explored potential starts to their career paths along Raider Walk during the annual Career and Internship Expo on March 14.
This event was part of Moorpark College’s Career Week, which gives students an opportunity to establish a connection to the industry or profession they are interested in.
There were 68 companies and organizations that participated in the expo. This gave students and community members the option to talk directly to employer representatives. Business cards were handed out, and applications were handed in, creating the ideal environment to meet a new employer. These companies offered openings in many positions, from internships, to part-time and full-time jobs.
Aaliyah Abarca, an 18-year-old English major, decided to use the expo and visited several employers that Wednesday morning.
“Some kids don’t know where to start, but having all the jobs lined up in one place on campus is easy access for them,” Abarca said. “They can talk to the person one-on-one, right off the bat.”
With a large variety of companies, students had the ability to browse through all of the careers, offering a plethora of possibilities. Representatives from the Marines, Friar Tux Shop, the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area and Command Performance Catering were just some of the employers with open positions.
The representatives were searching for driven individuals who are ready to begin their careers. Jill Quijada, human resources manager for Command Performance Catering, received several applications and believes that Moorpark College students would make ideal employees.
“Moorpark has open-minded students who are eager to work,” Quijada said. “And we work around school schedules too!”
In fact, the goal of the expo was to get students working in the industry that they would like to pursue professionally, said Dr. Shannon Johnson, the event coordinator.
“They’re in school getting the degree, and then their job at the same time is related,” Johnson said. “So when they graduate, you have the degree, and work experience already in your field.”
With so many employers present on campus at one time, there is enough opportunity for everyone. According to Johnson, this year is the biggest expo yet, with next year’s expected to be even larger.
“As employers contact us or do activities on campus during the year, we add them to our employer database,” Johnson said.
With this system of annually returning companies, the possibility of landing a job can only increase every year. Although the Career Transfer Center in Fountain Hall offers similar assistance for those that are eager for a career directly out of school, the Career and Internship Expo made it directly accessible.
