In partnership with UAlberta's CAPS Career Centre, the Faculty of Arts participates in dozens of events focused on career preparation each year.
"We recognize there are many ways to help prepare a student for their career search, and we try to address as many as possible," says Joan Schiebelbein, director of CAPS. "There is constant programming all year round."
On March 5, nearly 200 Arts students attended the annual Arts Student and Employer Mixer in HUB Mall. The Arts mixer is a smaller, more intimate version of UAlberta's Career Fair where employers target Arts students and graduates specifically.
"We wanted to have something smaller and less formal that allows for more one on one interaction and networking," says Schiebelbein. "The Arts mixer is very targeted in terms of the employers who attend; they are there to target arts students."
The system works, says Mark Mertens with Investors Group, who has successfully hired from the Arts mixer in the past.
"We always come to the Arts mixer because it's smaller, so there's a great opportunity to connect with students," says Mertens. "Some of the kids we connect with at the mixer come to us later, sometimes even years after they've graduated."
The possibility of meeting a future employer is what motivated Economics student Kariebi Eric, 18 to come to the event. Eric, who is hoping to work in the financial sector, says the mixer is an opportunity to get up close and personal with employers a student might not normally be able to network with. "This is a chance to meet the people I might one day work for, and with, when I graduate," he explains.
Still in his first year, Eric says he understands the importance of building a career network now.
"I'm here today because I think it's really important to develop your career as soon as possible," says Eric, who was also looking to land a summer job at the mixer. "It's important to network and build on your resumé, while you're still in school."
According to Schiebelbein, he's got the right idea.
It's important for students to start thinking about their careers because university is a chance to discover and explore what you want to do," she says. "The sooner you learn about what's out there, the longer you will have to explore the possibilities."
That's also why UAlberta's Job Shadow Week can be eye-opening for students. This year, 46 Arts students were matched with job hosts around Edmonton - including a Fort Edmonton Park costume designer and a parole office.
"Some students realize, yes, this is the career I want to pursue or it has the opposite effect and they realize they want to go a different route," says Schielbelbein. "In either case, it's positive - it gives a student a chance to test the waters."
Professional U Week is another career-focused university initiative the faculty takes part in.
It ran March 9 to March 13 and offered workshops on everything from pop-up boutiques for affordable business attire to mock interviews sessions and LinkedIn tutorials.
Next on the agenda is a CAPS Green & Gold Student Leadership and Professional Development Grant information session on Tuesday March 31 from 12:35 p.m. to 1: 20 p.m. in SUB.
In the meantime, students looking to increase their career potential can check out the Arts Work Experience (AWE) Program. AWE helps students land paid work experience opportunities all year round. Visit their webpage at http://www.caps.ualberta.ca/Programs-and-services/AWE-Program.aspx.
For all other career services and information visit arts.ualberta.ca/careers.