Jesus Montalvo visits with representatives from Marmen during a Career Fair at Northeast Community College, learning more about career opportunities and making professional connections.
Northeast Community College’s Spring Career Fair brought students and employers together for a day of career exploration, networking, and real‑world learning. The campus‑wide event connects students from all academic programs with employers representing a broad range of industries, offering insight into career pathways, internships, and employment opportunities.
Approximately 100 companies, represented by nearly 200 hiring managers and human resources professionals, participated in the fair, engaging with an estimated 300 students. Employers represented fields including agriculture, manufacturing, construction and skilled trades, healthcare, business and finance, government, retail, and hospitality, providing students with exposure to today’s workforce needs.
While Northeast hosts several program‑specific career fairs throughout the year, the Spring Career Fair remains one of the college’s strongest and most well‑attended events, reflecting sustained employer interest and the continued importance of in‑person connections between students and employers.
“The Spring Career Fair opens doors for students to explore careers, build confidence, and make meaningful connections,” said Terri Heggemeyer, director of career services at Northeast Community College. “Even students who aren’t actively job searching benefit from attending. These conversations help them better understand what employers are looking for and give them a head start in preparing for future opportunities.”
Students at all stages of their academic journey benefited from the event, using the fair to ask questions, learn about industry expectations, and practice professional networking skills in a supportive environment.
“Talking directly with employers helped me better understand what they’re looking for and what steps I should take next,” said Jesus Montalvo, a student studying wind energy. “It made the idea of starting my career feel more real and more achievable.”
The career fair was open to both current students and alumni, giving graduates an opportunity to reconnect with employers, explore new career options, and expand their professional networks. Upcoming graduates seeking employment were encouraged to attend and make connections that could lead to interviews or job offers.
Employers value the Spring Career Fair for the opportunity to connect with motivated, prepared students and build early talent pipelines while strengthening partnerships with Northeast faculty and staff.
“Events like this allow us to have meaningful conversations with students and learn more about their interests and strengths,” said RJ Gall with Agri-City Insurance. “Northeast students come prepared, engaged, and eager to learn, which makes this a valuable recruiting and relationship‑building opportunity.”
Career services supports students before, during, and after the event through résumé assistance, networking coaching, classroom presentations, and one‑on‑one support. After the fair, students are encouraged to follow up with employers and continue working with career services to turn conversations into meaningful next steps toward their career goals.
