BROOKINGS – SDSU students were able to connect virtually to regional employers looking to hire for part-time, seasonal and internship positions at the 2020 SDSU Student Virtual Part-Time Job Fair held on Sept. 9.
Historically, the SDSU Student Part-Time Job Fair had been hosted on campus during the kick-off of the fall semester. Given the challenges of COVID-19, Brookings Economic Development Corporation and SDSU wanted to look for a creative way to connect students and employers while observing social distancing and keeping everyone safe.
A virtual fair attempts to replicate the in-person fair experience using an online platform – Zoom. Each employer had a virtual “booth” that students could visit.
Once a student entered the booth they could converse with that company representative about open positions and even set up an interview on the spot.
“We were very excited to partner with SDSU’s Office of Career Development on the virtual job fair,” said Sarah Hauge, BEDC’s Director of Workforce Development. “This new virtual experience created a modern and convenient way for businesses to share information about their current employment opportunities and to connect with the future workforce. Additionally, the unique aspect of this job fair allowed employers to have more focused conversations with students who were seeking out work.“
The fair hosted 20 employers from across the Brookings region and more than 156 SDSU students who were looking for jobs. And, according to Hauge, feedback from the participants who attended this first of its kind event has been overwhelmingly positive.
“This was an incredible opportunity to connect students with local businesses who were excited to promote their companies and diverse positions,” she said. “We look forward to working with SDSU on future activities to increase awareness of the number of jobs available in the region.”
The 2020 SDSU Student Virtual Part-Time Job Fair was hosted by SDSU Office of Career Development, Brookings Economic Development Corporation and South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation. For more information about BEDC’s workforce development activities, contact Hauge at 605-697-8103, or by email at sarah@brookingsedc.com.
