Registration opens Feb. 10 for Virtual Career Fair

Niagara College is ready to help job seekers click with potential employers at its upcoming Virtual Career Fair.

Open to NC students and alumni, as well as community residents, the Virtual Career Fair will be held on February 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This will be NC’s second annual Virtual Career Fair, hosted by NC’s Career Services and Community Employment Services divisions. Similar to the College’s popular in-person events, which were held on campus prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Virtual Career Fair offers a one-stop online shop for job seekers to explore opportunities in their area of expertise, and interact with employers online. More than 60 employers have registered to participate in this year’s virtual event.

“Our virtual career fair creates real opportunities for our students, graduates and community residents,” said director of Student Services Lianne Gagnon. “Our team from Career Services and our colleagues from Community Employment Services are dedicated to facilitating connections between job seekers and employers through this online event.”

NC’s Virtual Career Fair aims to assist job seekers and employers alike.

“For job seekers, it provides an opportunity to connect with employers from all over Canada virtually through one-on-one chats, group sessions, and by networking within their program area. If job seekers are looking for work or wanting to find out more about their desired career, this will give them the opportunity to do that,” said NC career consultant Marsha Fiorino. “For employers, it provides a platform to reach out to current students, recent graduates and members of the community.”

NC’s employer relations consultant Julie Stuart pointed out that many students have been facing challenges when it comes to seeking employment during the pandemic. Employers who are recovering have been trying to ensure their permanent staff complement is working at capacity prior to hiring students. At the same time, many students are still hesitant, yet anxious for work opportunities, and many have been finding it difficult to get a sense of a company’s culture during a remote interview process.

“Student positions are competitive as many employers who typically host students have not been able to due to lockdowns or economic impacts that the pandemic has had on the business,” said Stuart. “The Virtual Career Fair provides students with a direct opportunity to connect with employers that are hiring students, to network and learn more about various organizations, and encourages them to be prepared – resumes and applications need to be ready.”

While virtual job applications have been the norm for many years, virtual interviews have become an essential tool for employers more recently.

“A virtual interview really allows the employer the opportunity to meet with the student, share company information, and highlight health and safety protocols,” said Stuart, who noted that some employers have implemented protocols for on-site second interviews following virtual first interviews. “Overall, students have indicated that they have appreciated the virtual interviewing as less intimidating and they can be in an area of comfort and familiarity.”

Employers from Niagara, Ontario, and across Canada have registered to participate in the College’s 2022 Virtual Career Fair. They represent a variety of industries including brewery, distillery, winery and viticulture; culinary, hospitality and tourism; sports and fitness; community and social services; health care; environmental; trades and technology; policing, security and justice; greenhouse, horticulture and landscape; information and technology; business and management; spa services; and more.

Niagara Falls-based Canadian Niagara Hotels Inc., the largest entertainment resort in the country, will return to NC’s Virtual Career Fair for the second consecutive year, seeking to fill more than 400 hospitality positions – from guest services and housekeeping, to food and beverage and waterpark.

“Canadian Niagara Hotels has always enjoyed hiring students from Niagara College as they come polished, well prepared with appropriate skills, and excitement to do the job,” said Laura Massi, manager, Employee Services at Canadian Niagara Hotels Inc. “By participating in the job fair, we get the advantage of hiring talented students early for our spring/summer season.”

This will be the first NC Virtual Career Fair for Royal Botanical Gardens, and the company will be hiring for more than 45 positions in Hamilton and Burlington. RBG human resources generalist Neil Parle noted that they have established a strong working relationship with NC over many years, as students from the College’s horticulture programs have provided essential support to its team of professional gardeners during the spring and summer months. At this year’s Career Fair, they will be recruiting for numerous gardening positions as well as summer and permanent positions in their new food and beverage operations.

“The food and beverage sector throughout the province has been decimated due to pandemic restrictions and a significant number of people have taken the opportunity to explore more stable opportunities,” said Parle. “Our food and beverage operation is now being managed by RBG, so this is the first year we have an opportunity to reach students, introduce RBG as an employer and establish a relationship equal to the one with horticultural students.”

For a complete list of participating employers, visit careerfair.niagaracollege.ca/employerlist/.

Register for NC’s Virtual Career Fair

Event registration will open for job seekers on February 10 at careerfair.niagaracollege.ca/registration/jobseekers/. Job seekers register by creating a profile and uploading their resumes to be viewed by employers. Once they are registered, they may browse employers’ virtual booths and sign up for one-on-one time slots or group sessions with employers to be held on February 16. Job seekers are strongly encouraged to book in advance, as time slots are limited. Sessions may also be booked on the day of the Virtual Career Fair if they remain available.

For information about NC’s Virtual Career Fair visit careerfair.niagaracollege.ca.

Career and Employment Services

NC’s Career Services department offers a variety of resources for students, including one-on-one appointments with career and co-op consultants, and year-round access to the College’s MyCareer Portal for job listings. Team members support students with application documents, interview preparation, and industry-specific knowledge and connections to assist with networking and a targeted job search approach. Visit niagaracollege.ca/studentlife/eac/.

NC’s Community Employment Services offers services and resources for community job seekers and employers alike, including COVID-19 specific help. Visit niagaracollege.ca/ces/.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.