On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Capitol College undergraduate students took the day off from classes to participate in the college’s annual Career Day event. Every year, various workshops and lectures are available for students so they can get a better grasp of the job market and what will be expected of them in the future.
“Career Day was created to help ensure students’ success beyond their academic career at Capitol,” said Jason Kilmer, assistant director of student life and residential services. “Capitol’s academic preparation gives students the practical knowledge they need to succeed and Career Day gives them the professional tools they need.”
The event kicked off with a keynote address from James Foster, CEO of Riskive, and a member of Capitol College’s graduating class of 2002. Foster discussed how important earning a college education is, but he also detailed a lot of the things students should expect to learn after they graduate. Foster touched on the benefits of maintaining a sense of professionalism, the importance of striking a healthy work/personal life balance, and how marketing yourself is a necessity for getting ahead, among other topics during his hour-long lecture.
After the keynote, students broke up into groups and took part in a variety of workshops. Programs included Capitol’s job guarantee and the online career center, networking and surviving the working lunch, obtaining and maximizing internships, job searching with social media, personal marketing, dressing for success, and an information session on the importance of graduate school. Students also had the opportunity to network with various local employers during lunch.
Capitol College offers its “Capitol Commitment” to all interested undergraduate students. The commitment guarantees its qualified bachelor's degree graduates placement in the field of engineering, engineering technology, computer sciences, information technology or business with a competitive salary within 90 days of graduation, or Capitol College will provide up to 36 additional undergraduate credits - tuition-free - while students continue their job search. Participating in Career Day is one of the requirements students must meet in order to qualify.