The annual career fair for Criminology and Law students took place on Nov.14th in the RCW lobby. The event allowed for students to touch base with professionals, learn about career opportunities and gather information about different organizations that can employ students after graduation.
Jennifer Hicks, a career consultant at Laurier Brantford’s career centre, was the head organizer of the event. Hicks has organized several career fairs in the past and was able to make sure the appropriate individuals were in attendance. “We basically start planning the event in the summertime. I have an invite list so I can start calling organizations and make sure my list is up to date,” said Hicks.
Some of the professionals in attendance were employed by the RCMP, Canadian Border Service, social service agencies and the military – according to the website Laurier Brantford’s Career Development centre. The event was run between 9am and 3pm, and allowed for students to talk to senior employees, police officers and representatives about career information.
Criminology and Law students in search of voluntary work ought to utilize their time and network with different organizations to see what interests them. It is important for students to be informed about opportunities that will prepare them for work after graduation. Although the skills that are developed in the classroom are essential, recruiters will keep an eye out for those who have some kind of experience in their fields. Hicks was able to give advice to Criminology students looking for experience. “I encourage every student to think about the area they are most interested in. The Criminology and Law areas are very broad and there are so many options. Volunteer work is a great way that you can gain experience while you’re still a student, along with being strategic with your summer jobs.”
Oliver Tawadrous, a third-year Criminology student that attended the event, spoke about his thoughts. “I’m still not sure about what to do towards graduation but I feel like this fair helped a lot.”
Lastly, Hicks was able to speak about voluntary positions available to students. “A lot of the organizations will have summer positions – particularly the government. A lot of them do the postings for that really early, around January and February. The earlier you start searching, the better chance you have of securing those jobs.”
Don’t forget to check out Laurier Brantford’s Career Development centre for more information about Criminology and its career opportunities.
