From PlayStation to security firms and nonprofits, Champlain students got the opportunity to flex their skills at our annual Champlain College Fall Career and Internship Fair on Wednesday, October 7. Over 40 regional, national, and local businesses traveled to campus to talk to students looking for their next big opportunity. The Career Fair is an important milestone in a Champlain student’s future and a chance for employers to see the passion and wealth of knowledge Champlain students bring to the table.
Creating Meaningful Connections
Champlain College prides itself on building strong connections with businesses near and far, and across industries, to provide students with meaningful networking connections and employment opportunities. Alumni represented several companies at the fair, returning to their alma mater to recruit new talent. The alumni community is a valuable network for students seeking their next career move.
Game Students Meet With PlayStation
This year, students lined up to talk with representatives from PlayStation, who were attending the fair for the first time after several successful trips to Champlain to see the Game Studio Senior Show.
While waiting in the PlayStation line, Game Design major Gwen Weimheimer ‘27 shared: “It’s a little exciting, and a little nerve-wracking. But, [I’ve heard] they were really nice and offered a lot of great advice, so I’m excited to get critique and insight as to how they do things there.”
Talking to the PlayStation reps was an important step forward for the Game Studio students on campus. Fellow Game Design major Maxwell Totten ‘27 was one of several students who scored a 1:1 networking meeting at the fair.
Ahead of the event, Totten and his friends met with Connor Holtkamp, their Game Studio Career Coach from the Career Collaborative. Holtkamp facilitated a networking meeting for them with another industry contact, who provided guidance and advice in advance of the big day.
“My friends and I put a lot of effort into putting the right foot forward,” said Totten, referring to how he prepared for his 1:1 meeting, and it paid off. “[The PlayStation rep’s] feedback on resume construction exceeded our expectations and was something we couldn’t have gotten at such high quality anywhere else. We simply wouldn’t have access to the tools, resources, connections, or spaces to make meetings like this happen without being on Champlain’s campus.”
Other notable organizations included Trivium Interactive—a company that builds interactive media exhibits, nuHarbor, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Howard Center, Vermont Mutual, National Life Group, OnLogic, and the Vermont Space Grant Consortium (representing NASA). These companies represent a wide array of opportunities for students in various majors and areas of study.
Global Opportunities
Ayden Brumley ‘27, a soon-to-be graduate of the Game Production Management program, was attending his fourth and final Career Fair. “Coming here every year has helped me build relationships throughout my time at Champlain,” Brumley reflected. Students also lined up in mass at the Freeman Foundation grant table to learn about building global connections. Thanks to this opportunity, Brumley studied and interned abroad in Thailand.
“Career fairs are so important to attend because they’re an opportunity for [students] to flex those networking skills, meet and greet with employers, and learn what opportunities are in their major,” Career Collaborative Co-Director Kerry Shackett said.
It’s no secret that Champlain graduates have a lot to offer upon immediately entering the workforce. The Career Fair is a great opportunity to start building connections and find post-graduate roles.
“Recent Champlain College graduates are ready to jump into work thanks to their curriculum. They have the skills needed, and they’re eager. They’re ready to test out what they’ve learned in the classroom,” Shackett stated.
For first-, second-, and third-year students, the fair is a fantastic time to take a look at what opportunities are available and practice your networking skills: test out your handshake, hand out your resume, get comfortable chatting with employers, and seek out internships that align with your skills and passions.
“There are so many awesome opportunities, and you can leave Champlain easily with a job,” Brumley shared.
Employers Included
-
- Albertsons Companies
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
- City of Burlington
- EastRise Credit Union
-
- ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Howard Center
- KeyBank
-
- OnLogic
- PlayStation
- Trivium Interactive LLC
- And many more!
Author
