Career Fair 2011 dishes out the real goods

Okanagan College Media Release

Every year when veterinarian Barbara Coughlin sets up for Career Fair 2011 at Okanagan College, she knows she’s going to hear one phrase over and over again – “I love animals!”

Coughlin, who works at Kelowna Veterinary Hospital, doesn’t skip a beat. “I don’t want you to love animals. I want you to like animals.”

It’s that kind of fine point coming directly from someone in the field that truly makes a difference for people seeking information about potential careers.

“The College’s Career Fair gives all kinds of professions exposure, and it really lifts the career off the page when people can talk directly to someone,” she said.

The annual fair is the largest of its kind in the Interior, attracting between 3,000 to 5,000 visitors in a single day. This year’s fair takes place Sunday, Nov. 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Exhibitors of all kinds take part – from bankers to police officers, photographers and accountants, and there’s still room for more to sign up.

Exhibitor Sandi Pidwerbeski says Career Fair is a perfect way to promote whatever business you may be in, or to recruit for employees or even students.

“It’s a chance to do a bit of PR around what I do, so people realize this is a career and not a job,” says Pidwerbeski, a technologist and clinical instructor of medical radiography, who shares information about her work at both Interior Health and at BCIT.

“When people think of medicine they usually think of nurses and doctors, but there are many different medical professionals who work in the health sciences aiding in the diagnosis and care of patients.”

Okanagan College is appealing to would-be exhibitors to register for this year’s Career Fair. Career advisors and exhibitors have until Oct. 14 to register and can do so by contacting the event organizer Michelle Lowry at [email protected] or 250-862-5473.