I've Attended Many Career Fests, Yours Was Tops: Employers Praise MIT Career Fest
04/07/24
From tech giants to consulting firms, over 30 companies attended this year’s Career Fest held in May at MIT Manukau and Tech Park campuses.
91% of employers who participated agreed that the event was a great experience for them or their business, up from 83% last year.
Companies such as Deloitte, Fisher & Paykel, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the Department of Corrections, WM New Zealand (Waste Management), 2degrees, and Ventia, among others, provided MIT akonga with a rare opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential employers from various high-demand industries.
Designed to provide real-time interaction with employers, the fest transformed the campus into a vibrant hub of activity where each company offered insights into their operations, culture, and career opportunities.
“Our goal with the Career Fest is to equip our students with the knowledge and networks necessary to successfully transition into the workforce,” said Maureen Prasad, Recruitment Consultant with the MIT Careers and Employment Solutions Team (CES) and organiser of the Career Fest. “By providing a platform for direct interaction with top industry players, we are helping shape the future of our students and the industries they will enter," said Prasad.
For employers, it was an opportunity to reach out to the community and seek out diverse talent.
WM New Zealand (Waste Management NZ) talent team said they had several positive conversations with students about their two-year graduate program.
Recruitment Advisors from the Department of Corrections also had good conversations with several future student counsellors and social workers who wanted to know more about working in prisons.
Over the years, infrastructure services firm Ventia has hired over 10 students from MIT. The organisation’s strategic relations manager said if a MIT student applied for a role, they knew the students were good, and a right fit to the firm.
“They are so good because they come under the umbrella of all of the groups within Māori Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT). The people that run MPTT, and the people in your organisation, when they come with that sort of recommendation, there’s no second thought to the quality. It’s got to be right up there,” they said.
For students, it was an opportunity to learn about practical skills needed beyond their textbooks.
Half of the students who responded to the survey felt they were able to spend enough time with the employers, enabling them to better understand their future pathways.
"It was an incredible opportunity to get a real sense of what working at a top company would be like," said Anmol, a business student. “Speaking directly with firms helped me understand what they're really looking for in graduates," he said.
