The Bakersfield College Industrial Technology and Transportation Pathway Employer Fair was held on Thursday, April 26 in the STEM courtyard.

Several vendors participated from the industrial technology and transportation field, providing Bakersfield students with applicable majors an opportunity to shop around locally for gainful employment.

Pathway centered employer fairs are expected to become more frequent as staff and faculty of Bakersfield College work diligently to connect local graduates with strong local companies who are seeking highly skilled individuals to invest in.

Beth Harrison, a Job Development Specialist in Career Technical Education (CTE), along with Stephanie Baltazar who also works in CTE, organized the event with the goal of forging a strong bilateral relationship that will benefit students now as they learn the trade as they become candidates for hire.

“This is the very first event of its kind, where each employer fair will be pathway specific,” Harrison said. Having the opportunity to establish industry partnerships with various employers that are local assures the student who are acquiring these certifications and degrees that gainful employment does not require moving away.

Ghillmar Mancia, an Automotive and Engineering student at Bakersfield College, said, “Its pretty much a good opportunity to meet other employers and get to network with people, because sometimes in this industry it’s not what you know it’s who you know.”

Mancia went on to say that the event should happen more often to and that if students are interested in automotive technical training then Bakersfield College has what you need.

“Other colleges don’t have all the things like BC that’s why I’m here because I’m taking advantage of that opportunity to get advance training, use advanced equipment, and engage advance technology,” said Mancia.

Employers attending the event came from throughout Kern County seeking students who were industrial automation baccalaureate students in hopes of acquiring new members to their firm. Employers like Southwest Carpenters Local 743, Wonderful Citrus, California Resource Corporation, Kern County HR, Golden Empire Transit, and Jim’s Supply Company or JSC Agricultural Supply were all at this event to introduce themselves to ITT students.

This formal introduction of employers to students who meet industry standards and the expectation of the employer is the goal of Harrison and the CTE office.

CTE is located in the FACE building in the Northeast quadrat of the campus and students are encouraged to stop by and have a conversation about their employment goals as to determine if they are on the best educational pathway.