Career Fair Opens Opportunities to Students

Many York College students worked their way through dozens of potential employment opportunities on Wednesday, Nov. 17. The career fair hosted by the York County Development Corporation gave students the chance to network and learn more about the job market in York County. 
 
 “We want to help students become more aware of the opportunities here,” shared Derek Dauel, development coordinator for YCDC. “It’s been noted that we retain several York College students after graduation and we would love for that number to grow.”
 
Nearly 25 businesses filled the upper-level of the Phyllis J. Mackey Center ranging from food services to banks and healthcare to auto sales. Representatives from the following business were present: Ayars & Ayars, Inc., Black Hills Energy, Blue Beacon Truck Wash, Central Valley Ag, City of York, Cornerstone Bank, Corteva Agriscience, Cyclonaire Corporation, Epworth Village Inc., Henderson Health Care, Janssen Ford Of York, Jensen Lumber Company, Kawasaki, Klute Inc., Kopsa Otte, Lee Enterprises, Inc, dba York News-Times, Lichti Oil, McCarthy & Holthus, LLP, McDonald's, Nebraska DHHS, Jimmy John’s (Nixon Restaurant and Property, Inc), and York County Communications Center.
 
The steady flow of young people showed students were eager to check out the career possibilities. When asked if the career fair was worth her time, Madison Gookin excitedly said, “Yes, I think the face-to-face interaction made a difference when looking for internships. One person I talked to said she would put my resume at the top of the pile.” Gookin is a junior from Rye, Colo. looking for experience in the agribusiness field. 
 
For some students, this was their first professional networking event. The night before the career fair, the PBL (Professional Business Leaders) chapter held a “resume night” to help students prepare a noteworthy summary of their skills and work experience.
 
“I’m super thankful that we were encouraged to come because it was nice to meet people from the community and to learn about the organizations in the county,” shared Kailey Hamm, a junior from Pratt, Kan. 
 
“I want to see all my options and job opportunities before I graduate,” shared Tamas Sebestyen, a junior from Szekesfehervar, Hungary. “It’s great to see all the areas available even if it does not apply to my major. This kind of networking is a great experience.” 
 
When asked if this new knowledge made Sebestyen think about staying in York after graduation he answered, “Absolutely. You never know what’s going to happen but it’s really good to know that if I choose to stay in York, I have all these options.”
 
York College alumni represent just under ten percent of the York County workforce who hold a college degree. Several YC alumni were present at the career fair on Wednesday representing their employers and sharing the advantages of working in York. 
 
“The advantage of staying here in York is that the college gave me a foundation of a community that I now get to build on,” said Kafani Williams ’20, manager at Blue Beacon. “You can make connections anywhere but in a smaller town like this you see the same people at the gym and the grocery store and your network grows faster.”
 
“York is a tight-knit community and very welcoming,” commented Laura Johnson ’13, west-region vice president, Cornerstone Bank. “Cornerstone was my first job after college and I had the best experience. I knew my employers cared about me and I wasn’t just a number. When we moved to Kansas I worked for a larger bank and I missed the culture of Cornerstone. Coming back here was the best decision.” Johnson, her husband, Andrew and their son moved back to York this past summer. 
 
Employers present at the fair also shared the benefits of hiring YC graduates.
“They don’t leave York, Nebraska,” laughed Deb Robertson, director of Kilgore Memorial Library. “There are so many York College grads and even if they do leave, they come back.” 
 

Eryn Conyers 
York College Communications Officer