2023 Spring Career Fair Connects Students with Employers

March 8, 2023

Franklin Cummings Tech’s Spring Career Fair drew a record turnout of 210 students and 66 top employers from industries including automotive, clean energy, construction, electrical engineering, engineering technology, HVAC&R, information technology, opticianry, real estate, and more.

The Spring Career Fair—our premiere Career event—ties directly into the college’s mission to provide transformative technical and trade education that leads to economic advancement. The career fair provides students and soon-to-be graduates with opportunities for internships, as well as part-time and full-time jobs in their chosen fields. Career Services Director Mike Felix said the strong turnout by both students and employers is a testament to the college’s commitment to build a more highly qualified workforce and a pathway toward filling labor gaps.

“There was a lot of excitement in the building today,” said Felix. “We received a lot of good feedback from employers that our students were prepared, professionally dressed, and enthusiastic. And from the student perspective, they were really pleased at the variety of employers and opportunities.”

Edwin Trevino, lead talent advisor for Veolia, which specializes in addressing environmental and sustainability challenges in energy, water and waste, said attending the Career Fair is part of his company’s efforts to build a pipeline of diverse tech talent. “People are at a premium these days. We’ve got recent grads (from Franklin Cummings Tech) that work with us and do a really good job. Our purpose in coming here today is to plant seeds for the future,” he said.

Also working the Veolia booth was recent Franklin Cummings Tech grad Christ-Lee Fils-Aimee, who joined Veolia as a metering technician in 2022 after earning a Certificate in Electronics Technology. He is currently enrolled in the college’s Engineering Technology associate degree program, with a concentration in Renewable Energy Technology, and is on track to graduate in May. He then plans to enroll into Franklin Cummings Tech’s ABET-accredited bachelor’s degree program in Electrical Engineering in Fall 2023.

“He’s a hard worker and he’s making a name for himself in the company,” said Trevino. “And he got all that starting here at Franklin Cummings Tech.”

As the fair got underway, Zoe Clayton, a licensed optical manager for Warby Parker’s Seaport location and 2022 graduate of the Opticianry program, had some advice for the attending students: “I’m hoping the students find opportunities that work well for them and take some chances in coming to talk to a wide range of employers. Because people want to work with them.”

Laura Campbell, a student in the Opticianry program, said she enjoyed visiting all the employer booths and seeing the wide variety of available career opportunities. After she graduates in May with her associate degree, she would like to work as an optician in a medical setting. “I came in with no background in Opticianry and the program has taught me all the skills I need,” said Campbell, who previously worked as a beverage manager. “It’s a great program.”

Nicole Benson, talent coordinator for Lyon-Waugh Auto Group, said she came to Franklin Cummings Tech looking for enthusiastic grads for a variety of roles. “We’re always looking to take newly trained technicians and find them a place to grow,” she said. “It’s great to help someone build a career.”

DENS Facility Services, which provides services to keep life sciences facilities running safely and smoothly, was attending the Career Fair for the first time. Taylor McBride, a project specialist at the company, said the technical skills taught at Franklin Cummings Tech—particularly in the HVAC&R Technology program—are a great fit for the work his company does supporting the scientists working in biotech labs.

“We think the students here are great candidates,” he said. “You can start with us as a technician and end up with a great career in a biotech lab because of the learning experience and training. You also get to soak up knowledge from scientists, who are some of the smartest people in the world.”