Undeterred by pouring rain, thousands of students packed into the McKimmon Center Tuesday and Wednesday for the NC State Engineering Career Fair.
With more than 300 companies represented, including big names such as Amazon, Facebook, Netapp, IBM and SAS, students had plenty of opportunities to network with corporate recruiters in an effort to obtain a job or an internship.
Backpacks were noticeably absent from the event, as students were asked to leave them at home. Security officials roamed the building and removed anyone wearing a backpack, a result of safety concerns and lack of space.
“It’s my first time here,” said Stephanie Weng, a junior studying information technology who was hurriedly preparing for an interview. “My friend recommended I come, and I’m a little nervous because I want to find an internship.”
The event had to be meticulously planned, with each company’s location being mapped out beforehand.
“A lot of the smoothness of this event depends on where you place certain companies that have especially long lines,” said Graham Roper, engineering career fair manager and senior studying aerospace engineering. “We feel pretty good about the placement of a lot of the companies this year. So everything’s been pretty smooth.”
Most students seemed to agree with that sentiment, and despite the long lines and crowded spaces, walking traffic continued to move throughout the course of the fair.
“The career fair has been fantastic,” said Rebecca Gould, a senior studying mechanical engineering. “The potential employers are very nice, and everything is well organized.”
Weng expressed similar sentiments. She said the fair was a positive experience and said that she would “definitely come again.”
Many students, including Gould, came with a specific purpose in mind. Waiting in line for an interview, she knew exactly what she wanted out of the career fair.
“I’m really looking for a full time job since I’m graduating in May,” Gould said. “All the big companies are here.”
Apart from the fact that a few last minute changes had to be made to account for companies who showed up unexpectedly, Roper said the event was an overall success.
“We just do the best we can to be malleable and adapt when they show up,” Roper said. “Because those companies are here for the students, and so we’re doing a disservice to the school if we can’t accommodate them. We still just try to make room for them.”
Last minute attendees, however, were not the only issues at the career fair; many students voiced concern over difficulty with the event transportation.
Knowing that not everyone was able to make the bus or access one of the shuttles, Gould worried about students bringing their cars, despite the rule against doing so.
“I’ve heard that students can’t park outside, so it’s been a bit of an issue getting here,” Gould said.
A version of this article appeared in print on September 22, 2016, on page 3 with the headline: Career fair weathers storm, draws thousands.
Students line up outside the McKimmon Center before the Engineering Career Fair begins on Tuesday. The career fair took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with more than 300 companies present. Both undergraduate and graduate students attended the fair in hopes of obtaining internships, co-ops and post-graduation jobs.
