The 2024 TRU Job Fair was a milestone day 24 years in the making.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, the largest post-secondary job fair in BC saw a historic turnout of 110 employers from across the country.
"This year, we've reached capacity for the first time," said TRU Career and Experiential Learning Co-Chair Larry Iles. "We have a waitlist for next year."
Previous years have seen between 70 to 90 employers coming to make connections and talk with about 2,000 students and graduates.
"The volume of employers is indicative of the strength in our reputation as a university," he said.
Year after year, TRU's annual Job Fair creates opportunities and advances job security for employers and students.
"There's high satisfaction because students are getting hired into professional roles. Employers keep returning," said Iles.
"It is the relevant programs like social work, human services and psychology that prepares students for what it is like to work in community services that keeps us coming back to the Job Fair and hiring TRU graduates," said Deniz Demirkapi, human resources generalist for Interior Community Services (ICS).
"We come for the opportunity to have natural conversations," she said, noting her organization received applications before the event. ICS has hired TRU students and graduates in past years, with a major benefit being that TRU graduates are community and regionally aware.
Vanessa Clement, director of Human Resources at Williams Lake First Nation, said their team is culturally centred and community focused. They made the trip to the Kamloops campus to connect with young and eager students.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) student Aiswarya Selvin was excited to meet with a variety of employers, including RBC and Marriott Hotel, with the hope of landing a summer internship. "I want to build my CV before graduating," she said.
"I'm here to make connections," said Anu Devkota who is in her first semester of the post-baccalaureate diploma in marketing. She attended the TRU Job Fair to network now and possibly secure employment after graduation.
This year's unprecedented success was made possible by the Career and Experiential Learning Department, faculty and staff, and 30 student volunteers. Main sponsors of the event were the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and Cooper Equipment Rentals from Ontario.
