Athletics Hosts Second Student-Athlete & Employer Networking Event

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – On Monday, September 12, 2016, The Career & Professional Development Center (CPDC) partnered with the Athletics department to host a Student-Athlete & Employer Networking session from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Legacy Plaza.

More than 175 student-athletes attended the event and networked with thirty employers to discuss career opportunities. Freshmen to seniors, from all different sports, were excited to meet with a variety of employers representing a myriad of industries. The students remarked that the casual setting led to a more relaxed environment than a typical career fair, and they were able to make many great contacts.

“This is the second consecutive year the CPDC has hosted the event and employer interest continues to grow,” said Associate Director for Employer Relations McKenna Houston. “We were at capacity this year and even had a waiting list. More and more, employers recognize what great employees student-athletes make and are therefore increasing their efforts to recruit them.”

Each fall, the Career & Professional Development Center hosts three career fairs on campus allowing all students the opportunity to engage with potential employers. The Employment Opportunities Conference (EOC), the Business Opportunities Conference (BOC) and Spark (Startup Companies) all take place in the fall. The Society of Women Engineers also hosts the Technical Opportunities Conference (TOC) which is the largest of the career fairs and attracts over 200 employers. All the career fairs are heavily attended by the students and result in many interviews and subsequent job opportunities.

Men’s soccer senior Andreas Fatschel, who is planning to enroll in graduate school after graduation, attended for a second year to speak with several companies about internship opportunities and to assist younger teammates who are new to the process of networking.

“Last year, one of our freshmen received an internship from this event,” said Fatschel. “As a younger student with little experience it can be tough to stand out at job fairs like the EOC and TOC. This event allowed these students to engage in a more casual conversation with recruiters, many of whom were alumni of our sports programs. The event's policy was 'no resume needed', also making the recruiters more approachable from the standpoint of a freshman with little experience. I was able to introduce several freshmen to alumni to help stir up conversation, which also reduced the intimidation involved.”