U of L career fair points the way to work after studies

By Alexandra Noad - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on January 23, 2025.

Herald photo by Alexandra Noad Students take part in the University of Lethbridge career and student support fair Wednesday at the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

The University of Lethbridge hosted their career and student service fair on Wednesday to help students find a job and understand services available for them while completing their studies.

The university has been hosting a career fair for 37 years, with one happening in September and the other in January to accommodate the recruitment cycles of different organizations.

This career fair saw 72 organizations with over 145 different employer representatives.

Jason Kirbyson, events and outreach coordinator for the University of Lethbridge, says they encourage the organizations to bring alumni, so the students can ask questions to the alumni of how they secured the job.

“Sometimes it’s really hard for students to look at an employer to be like, ‘I’m going to be like you’ because there’s a sense of imposter syndrome, but if they can see someone they can relate to or in their similar shoes and how they can be like them, it makes it a lot easier or a lot more natural for those conversations to happen.”

The career fair gave students a chance to talk with potential employers about what careers are open to them and what careers opportunities are available post-graduation.

This was a more personal experience, than the traditional applying for a job and then being interviewed.

While the event was catered with students in mind, everyone is welcome to attend the career fairs the university holds.

Kirbyson says a lot of planning goes into an event of this size, often beginning nine months before the event actually happens.

He adds that it’s not just something they do because they have to, they do it because they want to see their student’s succeed.

“It’s no just something we do because we have to, it really is our motivation, our encouragement, it is who we are.”

The official date for the September career fair will be announced in the coming months.