Finding a job after graduation is tough. This career fair for MUN and CNA students is helping out

Career fair at MUN shows off opportunities for potential employees

9 months ago

Duration 2:29

The 25th annual career fair for post-secondary students presented different options, including graduate schools and career paths. Plus, employers were on the lookout for new hires, too.

Finding a job can be a daunting task, and as post-secondary students finish up their education, it's the next hurdle they must overcome. 

That's why Memorial University and the College of the North Atlantic teamed up to host the 25th annual career and graduate school fair. The aim is to help students take the next step, following their academic careers. 

This year the fair featured 122 exhibitors eager to hire or recruit young professionals. Some were ready to do interviews on the spot.  

There was even a photo booth available for students to take a professional photo for their LinkedIn profile. 

"The goal of this year is to provide students opportunities," said Danielle Jackson, MUN's career development office manager. "Hopefully, our students are building their networks so when they transition into the workforce they have a network to pull on to find employment." 

Job fair necessary in tight job market

Some students were on the prowl for a new job at Wednesday's fair.

Laetisha Ekpiken just finished her degree in business administration. She said she's hoping for a job in accounting or finance, but the job hunt hasn't gone well. 

"It's been tasking because you have to [write] cover letters and resumes, and see if positions are open.… They hardly ever are," she said. "But this has helped me today, meeting people and discovering what jobs are open."

MUN computer science student Mitri Patel says the fair has been a big help. 

"I gained a lot of knowledge, and even I don't know about some companies, [so] I got to learn more about companies also," he said. 

Business administration student Ethan Knight was exploring his options at the job fair as well, and landed on two options: pursuing finance or becoming an RCMP officer.

He says he's grateful for the opportunity to meet employers in-person, but he is concerned about finding a job. 

"The biggest thing right now is to be optimistic about it and keep going," he said. 

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