On April 5, 2018, the Goodwin College Career Services team presented its annual Career Fair, this year hosted in a new, larger space at Goodwin’s Business and Manufacturing Center on Pent Road in East Hartford.

Traffic was brisk throughout the event with 131 participants, including 90 current students, 31 alumni, and 10 guests. Twenty-one academic programs were represented among the visitors.

On hand to speak with the students, offer advice, and search for potential employees were representatives from a wide range of career fields including:

Business: Aerotek, Amazon, American Eagle Federal Credit Union, Kelly Services, Mass Mutual, New York Life, Travelers, U.S. Commercial Service/International Trade Administration, VOYA Financial

Education: Educational Playcare, Women’s League

Environmental Services: Eversource Energy, Metropolitan District Commission, Resource Options Inc.

Healthcare: Apple Rehab, Athena Health Care Systems, Baystate Health, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, CT VA (Rocky Hill), Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, Hartford Healthcare, IDEXX, Medical Management Plus, Starling Physicians

Human Services: Community Renewal Team, Goodwill Industries, Project Genesis

Manufacturing: Aero Gear Inc, Data Mail, Electric Boat, Flextronics, GKN Aerospace, Monroe Staffing, MW Industries (Economy Springs), Pratt & Whitney UTC, TOMZ Corporation, Trumpf

Public Safety: Department of Corrections, East Hartford Fire Department, Hartford Police Department

Additional organizations on hand to provide supplemental information included the Goodwin Alumni Association, Goodwin Admissions Department, the Connecticut River Chamber of Commerce, and Hartford Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (HYPE), as well as the United States Army, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Navy.

The new venue provided easy accessibility to the employers, and pre-event coaching by the Goodwin staff ensured that students could put their best foot forward. “Pent Road was a great space to use for the Career Fair,” said Elyse McDonald, a student worker with Career Services. “All of the students came dressed for success and were well prepared, thanks to our excellent counselors!” Other students commented:

“The Career Fair had a great diverse group of employers.”

“I have plans now so that I can keep looking into positions. I am glad that I came today to see the opportunities in my field.”

“This is a great opportunity to network for jobs. I felt comfortable when speaking with these employers.”

Feedback from employers was likewise positive:

“What we liked most about the Career Fair was that the students were well prepared, there was steady traffic throughout the whole event, and diversified majors were present.”

“It was a friendly environment, the students were very interested, and the arrangement of employers worked out well.”

“This was our first time attending, and we received quite a few qualified candidates that we will pursue.”

“Having a presence here was a great opportunity. There was a lot of positive feedback from students.”

“The Goodwin students represented themselves well.”

The Goodwin College Career Services is located on the second floor of the main academic building at One Riverside Drive, offers all-inclusive services for Goodwin students and alumni, and provides guidance and resources for career development:

• Individual career counseling
• Help with navigating Career Central Network
• Resume and cover letter writing and review
• Mock interviews
• Job search assistance
• Career assessments
• Employer networking events
• Lunch & Learn workshops on career-related topics

To learn more about Career Services support at Goodwin College, please visit www.goodwin.edu/career-services.