Safety management is one of the largest majors at Slippery Rock University, standing out for its faculty and career readiness. So it’s no surprise that organizations from around the nation travel to Slippery Rock to pitch jobs and internships at its bi-yearly Safety Management Expos.
Students were provided with an opportunity to speak one on one with potential employers. Both students and employers feel that in person communication is a neglected form of communication that leads to a lot of opportunities.
Safety management major Lenord Liss said he felt optimistic about his opportunities. Liss acquired two interviews with potential employers at the expo.
“It’s always way better in person,” he said. “You get to see people, see their reactions. It’s not lines of texts, its not something boring. It’s human beings interacting face to face and I think that is really important. Especially if you are planning to work for somebody.”
Business owners share the same sentiments as students, preferring in person contact over e-communications.
Travis Browning of Superior Construction stated, “A lot of time when you talk to someone face to face you are able to get a better understating of who they are. You can read certain social cues…but being able to have these short, almost like speed-dating interactions. Here you are able to talk to people, get an idea and set aside time to maybe later interview them and potentially do some offers”
Browning travelled all the way from Florida to meet Slippery Rock students.
“We are actually here for the students,” Browning explained. “We have had great success with students from Slippery Rock. Last year we pulled four interns from here, one of which is now going full-time.”
Newly-attending companies also showed up for the expo. Sandy Wong of Amazon was present fielding applicants for their workplace health and safety full time roles as well as internships. Wong discussed the importance of networking for young professionals.
“It’s the networking and connections you are building,” Wong said. “The best way to get to a job is or internship is putting yourself out there, and there is no better way to connect with employers than where the employers are there for you as well.”
Several student leaders were present at the meeting including career coach Ava Lynch. Lynch was attending to check in on with organizations and better understand how our safety students are doing.
Lynch detailed what she was hearing regarding SRU’s safety students.
“We have a lot of professional students who have their resumes done, who are doing a lot,” she said. “The only feedback I really heard is we have to be ready to talk to [businesses,] and it’s going to be a little intimidating, especially as a first or second year. But you have to talk to them, they want to talk to you.”
SRU’s Safety Management Program is set to host another expo during the spring semester.
