Student Nursing Association hosted its annual fundraiser Job Fair at Warrington Campus on March 12. Hospitals and Agencies set booths for many allied health programs such as nursing, radiography, sonography, and surgical tech to check out what these facilities were offering in jobs school.
“Our purpose is to get the students out into the community, to land jobs, it’s also to help employees,” said SNA President Debbie Fickling, relating to the economy. “This is a way for these companies to look at our students and hire our students.” PJC allied health program graduates are in competition with many other schools for jobs after graduation such as UWF, Pensacola Christian College, and schools just across the Alabama line.
“Students have found this to be a great day to talk to prospective employers and to a get feel of what type of jobs are available and working conditions,” explained SNA adviser and nursing instructor Judith Evans.
Twelve vendors participated at the job fair including UWF who gave valuable information for nursing students wanting to continue their education for a bachelor degree. Uniformly yours, West Florida Hospital, North Okaloosa Medical Center, VA Gulf Coast, Lakeview Center, Infirmary Health System, PJC financial aid, and Sylvia Rayfield the author of many nursing books “made incredibly easy” attended and gave out raffles and free trinkets to students.
Referring to the SNA members, “The students are really the ones that do the work of developing the mailing list, sending out invitations, setting up the tables and chairs, running a hospitality room for the vendors and, usually have a food sale going on at the same time,” said Ms. Evans. SNA members sold hotdogs, nachos and t-shirts as a part of the clubs fundraiser.
Varying on how many students attend the job fair as well as vendors, the job fair has had a past history of success for students getting information for future jobs or becoming care techs at the local hospitals. Getting PJC students more notice was the main goal for yesterdays fair and it was an overall success with many students getting to talk to the vendors of future opportunities.