News

Laney Job Fair links employers with students

APRIL 20, 2017 12:15 PM

SARAH CARPENTER/TOWER – A representative from Cypress Private Security gives information about an employment opportunity to a Laney student at the job fair in the Student Center on April 17.

By Sarah Carpenter
Assignments Editor

Although there are many opportunities that the Laney Employment Services Center (LESC) offers for students, Employment Program Mgr. Raya Zion expressed concern that these services aren’t reaching students enough.

At one of many job fairs hosted at Laney College, the Student Center was filled with representatives from various companies with job or career opportunities on April 17.

Zion said that she is working on setting up an Instagram account for the LESC in order to increase student awareness. “We have a lot of employer support,” she said, but getting the information to students is the challenge.

Students were able to network with professionals from companies like Tesla, Comcast, Bank of America, and dozens more.

Lars Eric Holm is a disaster preparedness coordinator for 2-1-1. In addition to disaster preparedness, 2-1-1 offers educational opportunities, job training programs and more. Holm said those who need help finding necessities like professional clothing to wear to an interview can call 2-1-1 for information or referrals.

Also in April, two more LESC job fairs will be held on Laney’s campus. On April 25, the Life Sciences Job Fair will target biology, biotechnology, bio-manufacturing, and biomedical engineering students. On April 26, the Skilled Trades Job Fair will target students enrolled in CTE programs including carpentry, welding, culinary arts, and cosmetology.

http://thelaneytower.com/2017/04/20/laney-job-fair

Laney job services underused

MAY 4, 2017 2:33 PM

Bianca Sosa from Inland Metal Technologies informs a student about job opportunities in engineering, machining, and welding at the Skilled Trades Job Fair in the Student Center on April 26. The fair was one of many organized by Laney’s Employment Services Center this year. (SARAH CARPENTER/TOWER)

By Sarah Carpenter
Managing Editor

Laney College has 10,084 current students. Eagle Hire, Laney’s online job search database, has 474 student accounts.

While some community college students are lifelong learners and aren’t searching for a job, it seems unlikely that fewer than 5 percent of Laney students need jobs.

Raya Zion is the Laney Employment Services Center (LESC) manager. She is brimming with support for students who need jobs, and yet she’s finding that the information is just not getting to the students who need it.

So, the LESC is reaching out.

They’re holding more job fairs than ever before, including three in April alone. They’re also catering to the students in a more strategic way than before. LESC’s most recent job fairs have been tailored to specific departments, like bioscience or skilled trades, and were planned for times when students in those departments are most likely to be on campus.

They have started an Instagram account, @EagleHire, to increase visibility. “We’re not doing enough,” Zion said, despite their consistent outreach efforts. To Zion, it’s not enough because “we’re not where I want us to be.”

LESC is more than a list of jobs. Eagle Hire is just one of the resources for students, and of course, the job fairs are another.

But they can also help students in many stages of their job search.

They are a great resource for interview preparation, and can even help students find professional clothing to wear. Students can make appointments for one-on-one career counseling. The center even has access to programs that set students up with a free phone, as those are increasingly necessary in the job market.

Lynna Wong is a director in the employment services center. She got her job through the center, after it helped her find a temporary job in the biosciences field. She is working with Zion to reach out to students so that they can benefit as she did from their assistance.

Even though the LESC has connections to over 700 employers that offer a wide variety of positions, it is a very small number of students taking full advantage of what they offer.

Companies like Tesla, Comcast, Bank of America, and others table at the job fairs, offering the chance to meet with employers in person while applying for positions. Students who are signed up on Eagle Hire will receive notifications about upcoming job fairs, as well as a list of companies that will appear.

If you’re in community college and looking for a career, there’s no reason not to use the LESC.
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The center is in Tower 201. More information can be found online at http://www.laney.edu/wp/employment. Students can sign up for Eagle Hire at https://laney-csm.symplicity.com.