Getting You From Here to Career: Customized Career Support and Fairs
It’s no surprise that students look to those they trust the most for career advice, especially parents, extended family, and friends. We know that you are on this journey with them as well. You don’t have to be the only resource to which your student can turn. If the time comes when you need support helping your students answer important questions about their careers, send them to LifeLab.
LifeLab promises to get students “from here to career,” meaning wherever “here” is, that’s where they’ll start.
“We’re trying to take the anxiety out of preparing for and talking about career,” says Carly Croman, Program Manager of LifeLab. “Or at least lower it!”
Conveniently located on the ground floor of the Student Union, surrounded by windows, the space urges students to come inside.
“We want to create an environment where talking about careers is a productive and empowering conversation.
“Our LifeLab Guides want to connect students, not with all the answers, but the answer to the question they have at that moment, in a way that’s personalized to them,” says Croman. “We want them to walk away with a clear next step.”
The LifeLab team guides students in uncovering answers - not for them but with them. Whether it’s building competency in a transferable skill, getting connected to practical experience, finding research opportunities, or getting ready for a job interview, the LifeLab team is a great starting place for students of any year and any major. The team has access to the information and resources your student needs.
“We created a LifeLab team of University of Arizona students for a reason,” Croman says of the makeup of the team. “They are all juniors and seniors from diverse backgrounds, studying diverse majors who are also navigating their own careers. But they are prepared and eager to meet students where they are to help them find the best way forward.
“Career is a process. Students often can’t see the path ahead of them. When they talk to our LifeLab guides, we can at least help them see the next step,” says Croman. “And the more questions they ask, the more next steps they uncover, and the clearer the path becomes.”
LifeLab
Ground floor, Student Union Memorial Center (between Core and Sabor)
Monday - Thursday, from 12 PM - 7 PM, and Friday, from 12 PM - 5 PM. Students can drop in virtually during those hours as well. Visit lifelab.arizona.edu for the Zoom link.
Niche Career Days Provides Targeted Opportunities for Students
Career Fairs look different at the University of Arizona, and according to Pete Corrigan, Associate Director, Employer, and Alumni Connections, that’s a good thing.
“Every year, we strive to make career fairs easier to navigate and to foster impactful connections between employers and students,” says Corrigan. After piloting smaller and more targeted events last year, SECD’s Employer and Alumni Engagement (EAE) team decided to reformat Fall Career Days to focus on related industries via career clusters.
This year, Fall Career Days spans four days and utilizes the online platform Zoom to mirror the experience a student would have in person. September 24: Commerce & Management, September 28: Engineering, Data & Technology, September 29: Health, Biosciences, Research & Academia, and September 30: Global Impact & Public Service.
And while it might look like the career cluster model limits student’s opportunities, it actually increases them. Instead of locating organizations one by one, it lets students see all the opportunities in their area of interest and even more they might never have considered.
“We encourage students to think more about their skill set and how it fits into different career clusters and less about what they can do with their major,” says Corrigan. “If you can collaborate, communicate, lead, and solve problems, you will be in demand in most fields.”
“Think about what you want to do every day, what skills do you like to use, and research before the fair to learn where your passions and skills will fit in.”
“These changes represent a win-win for everyone,” says Corrigan. “Students find the opportunities they’re looking for and feel more confident doing it, and employers return again and again to the UA to recruit talented Wildcats.”
Whether they are getting ready to graduate, seeking an internship, or want to explore career options for the future, please encourage your Wildcat to attend Career Days this Fall!
For more information about Fall Career Days, visit our website: career.arizona.edu/fallfair
To recruit, contact Marbila Rocha, Senior Events Coordinator.
Find and follow us on social media @wildcatcareer.