Contracted personnel works on space that will soon house the new Career Services. New location will be open in later September-early October. Photo credit – Sara Faraj
By Danny Villalobos
Staff writer
The Career Services Center of Washtenaw Community College will be moving to a new location in the Student Center. Still currently located over at the Morris Lawrence building on campus, the new location at the Student Center is intended to provide more visibility and awareness to the college’s students and alumni.
The original opening for the new location of the Career Services was set for mid-August. Due to a delay in its construction, the location will be open at the end of September, or at the very latest the beginning of October. Once open, the department will host a two-day open house for students to get to know what the services department offers.
Career Services aims to help students develop skills with whatever career path they choose. The career counselors are there to help students build resumes and lead them towards job openings that employers post on the department’s job board. Counselors are also available to assist in acquiring internships, job shadowing, gaining volunteer experience in the field that a student is interested in, and even offer students interviewing practice.
Three advisers are currently on staff at the department. During busy seasons, they usually assist five students a day. With the new, more central location, they expect to see an increase in student visits, said Cheryl Harvey, the assistant director of Career Services.
Students and alumni can also submit their resumes onto the the Career Connection website. On the website, employers have the chance to review resumes that students post. The school faculty may also offer jobs for students.
General funding provides for the move to the Student Center.
The new space will allow Career Services to offer career workshops. The expansion will also allow for industry representatives to visit and lead presentations. Students will be exposed to more job opportunities as well.
Students will also have the opportunity to learn how to use Wix, an online tool that allows students to create their own websites. This new offering is aimed for the students studying the liberal arts, but the department wants to expand to other fields as well. Career Services will offer assistance for students in building their portfolios.
Upcoming Career Services events include: the bi-annual Career Fair, Suit Up, Employer Spot Lights, and Career Events to be held for veterans and their family members.
The biggest event, the Career Fair, is held twice during the school year, in October and then later on in March. This event is held at the Morris Lawrence building. It is open to students, as well as members of the community. More than 70 employers come to this fair to represent their industry and offer information for interested students.
Despite the move, the career fair will still be held at the Morris Lawrence.
Career Services has partnered up with JC Penney, to bring the Suit Up event that will be held for all WCC students. On September 30th JC Penney will close at 6:30 pm and allow students from Washtenaw, Eastern, Concordia and the University of Michigan to buy clothing for job interviews. Certain brands will b discounted for up to 50 percent off.
The new location will be in room SC 112.
