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The annual Agriculture Career Fair is a popular event for both students and employers. Students shed their casual attire for business dress and are often lined up several deep for the chance to interview with a recruiter or pass on a résumé.
The October career fair attracted more than 800 students and 132 companies, up from 105 companies the previous year. The fair attracts a wide range of employers, including international companies, small Indiana firms and public agencies. In addition to full-time employees, a growing number of companies are looking for students to fill internships.
Both sides of the coin
“I’m mostly interested in a position in swine production and meatpacking. I grew up in Central Indiana and have been around hogs my entire life, so it’s a natural interest. I’ve also become more interested in meatpacking, since it’s the end product of swine production. It gives me another option for my future career.
The career fair is great because it gives students time for networking, as well as the opportunity to meet with companies that we might not otherwise think of.”
Gavin Wellman
Michigantown, Ind.
Animal Agribusiness major
“We attend the career fair to look for full-time employees. Since we’re an engineering consulting firm, we hire students from diversified majors—not just engineering. For example, we look at students majoring in natural resources and environmental sciences, agronomy, fisheries, horticulture, landscape architecture and forestry.
Jobs might include working on a clean-up of a spill or on a site that needs remediation; environmental permitting or assessments; or on wastewater or water treatment plants.
We hire a lot of Purdue graduates, and they come to us with excellent qualifications. Purdue is one of 25 ‘strategic schools’ that we have selected as feeder schools for our company. Purdue was chosen based on past performance of Purdue graduates and the quality and type of programs offered.”
Kellie Scopel
CH2M HILL
New agriculture graduates earn higher salaries
May 2007 graduates of the College of Agriculture are seeing an increase in job and graduate school placement and increased salaries as compared to previous years.
Ninety percent of graduates are either employed or continuing their education as of Oct. 1. Those who are employed earn an average salary of $39, 631 for all degree fields. This is $3,397 higher than the average salary from 2006—an increase of nearly 10 percent.
“With 90 percent of our graduates placed within just a few months of graduation, we continue to see the value of a Purdue Agriculture degree,” says Dale Whittaker, director of academic programs and associate dean of agriculture. “The vigorous demand for our graduates both in the job market and in graduate and professional programs also reflects the high quality of our students.”
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