Mar 6, 2019—the Office of Career Services and Internships at the University of Massachusetts Boston hosted the annual UMass Boston Career Expo in the Campus Center 3rd floor ballrooms. The event featured over 100 employers in the Boston area and beyond, offering internships, fellowships, and full and part-time jobs to the UMass Boston community. Participants registered through the student-centered job platform known as Handshake, where they could build their profile and learn about each of the employers in attendance.
Included among the career fair were non-profits such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay and 826 Boston; companies like Allstate and INFUSEmedia; various hospitals, including McLean and Massachusetts General; government offices of the state and towns, institutions such as the Edward M. Kennedy Institute and the Museum of Fine Arts; and many more in various different fields.
The event was organized by three chairs from the Office of Career Services and Internships: Mark Kenyon, the office’s Director; Deborah Frederica, Associate Director for Career Education; and William Farrick, the Career Specialist for the College of Management. “We had a very busy week preparing for this event,” said Farrick, tabling in front of the entrance along with Frederica. Farrick made it clear that one of the top priorities for the event was to have a wide variety of employers for the students to interface with. He listed off the many categories: education, business, non-profits, hospitals, and the armed forces. “We have so many different kinds of students here at UMass . . . it’s hard to say that there’s a more popular employer because we really tried have everything across the board for our students.”
The event was open for all, from freshmen all the way up to seniors, Graduate students, and even alumni. Farrick clarified that, while much of their advertising was done on campus, they were able to reach a broad audience by sending out emails, not only to current students but to alumni who were on the mailing list as well. Around the room, young adults of varying ages scurried about from table to table; as instructed by the emails, they dressed in professional attire and carried folders containing materials from employers as well as their own resumes. Those representing their employers answered the questions and described the various opportunities available; many had tablets and laptops for people to leave their contact information. Most employers offered paid positions, while many others had summer internships open for applications—some had offerings specifically for those seeking their Masters. The inclusivity of opportunities stayed true to Career Services’ goal of providing service ‘all across the board’ to the UMass Boston community.
The Career Expo is an annual event and will be held again in Spring of 2020.