Quinnipiac partnered with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce to help connect hundreds of students across multiple disciplines with over 80 manufacturing companies from across the state.

Terri Johnson, Quinnipiac’s associate vice president for student personal and professional development, said it was exciting to see so many ambitious students stepping up to meet with representatives from a wealth of Connecticut manufacturing companies seeking talent.

“This event is a wonderful example of collaboration between Quinnipiac, the state and an industry that is integral for future employment for our ambitious and hard-working students,” said Johnson.

Embodying the spirit of Quinnipiac ambition, international business major Alex Chaho ’24, shared his resume with several tech company representatives in his hunt for a sales job.

“Since I’m a business major, I don’t know too much about this world, but I have friends who are engineering majors and they told me about this company, which is here, so I looked them up and saw some positions I was interested in,” Chaho said. “I just went up to them now and had a good conversation and connected. It’s the second company here that I’ve visited and I’m definitely going to visit a lot more. I just know that there’s business opportunities in these engineering companies.”

Steven Gomes is in his junior year as a civil engineering major and will be interning in Germany this summer; but he was already thinking ahead to next year by connecting with Connecticut companies at the career fair.
 
“I’m just getting my name out for a potential full-time position next year. I think this is where I’ll find most of the companies I’ve heard of,” said Gomes.

Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Renee Miller said in addition to helping companies from the surrounding area promote job opportunities, the fair fosters local community outreach by bringing in job seekers including those from area high schools.

“It’s really great for the companies here that are Chamber members, because it helps them when it comes to sourcing new employment and bringing awareness around manufacturing and opportunities that are available right here,” Miller said.

Quinnipiac Director of Career Development John Bau said the university is proud to help support local manufacturing companies and appreciates the important opportunities they can provide for students.

“We’re very good partners with the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce and we have joined forces here to highlight local companies,” said Bau. “All of these employers here are hiring, on every single level.”

Quinnipiac’s partnership with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) helps to bring in tech-sector companies from across the state to meet with students at the career fair.

CCAT Director of Partnerships Eileen Candels said annual funding support from the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development Office of Manufacturing and the Manufacturing Innovation Fund allows the career fair to offer a free place for employers from around the state to meet talent.

Candels said CCAT has formed an ideal partnership with Quinnipiac.

“Partnering with Quinnipiac has been fabulous because the university is central and easy to access for employers coming from around the state, as well as for students not only from Quinnipiac, but those we’re bringing in with buses from community colleges and universities from around the state,” said Candels. “We hope these students will land the internship, or the full-time job, or the introduction that may get them that job in the future.”