The first ever Inclusive Career Fair was held on March 3, where local companies in the community could meet, and potentially hire, students from diverse backgrounds.
The career fair included businesses such as Ballad Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kroger, Eastman, Gwinnett County Police Department and many others. Jeffrey Alston, director of university career services, led the way in the creation of the Inclusive Career Fair, and sees it as a great opportunity to meet the needs of employers while also benefiting the students.
“For students, as a college and university, we talk about equity and diversity and inclusion, but with an event like this, it helps our students see how those topics go beyond this place,” Alston said. “It goes beyond a college and university. It goes into the workplace, and these companies are here as a symbol of their commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.”
Some jobs required specific skills, such as software or technical skills, but most were looking for students with broader life skills.
“A lot of them are looking for students who are problem solvers, so people who take the time to dissect and really think about something and see what action they can take before going to a supervisor,” Alston said. “They’re looking for communicators, so people who have some work experience, but if not, people who have experience working in group projects, or working with people in general.”
The career fair was not just for seniors, either. Often, employers are looking for younger students who want to come in to ask questions and who may be interested in an internship or a job after graduation. It was recommended that students bring a copy of their resume and dress in business casual attire.
Alston sees the career fair as an opportunity for students to graduate with a job.
“Our whole goal is to make sure students graduate with jobs and not graduate and start to look for a job, but that takes work on my part and on the student’s part, and we just want to be able to work together to make sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure that it actually happens,” said Alston.
