On Thursday, June 10, 2021, the State University System of Florida Career Centers, hosted its second annual virtual job fair, offering both full-time and part-time professional opportunities to Florida’s 12 public university students and alumni. The event attracted over 200 employers, including 177 new attendees, seeking to fill both fully remote and non-remote positions.
In previous years, the event was held in-person and featured an average of 170 employers and over 900 students. This year, the virtual event attracted 223 actively recruiting employers and over 1,000 registered students. Of the registered employers, 95% were recruiting for positions in Florida, including 22 healthcare organizations and companies. Other industries represented included cybersecurity, IT, business and commerce, law enforcement, health and human services, education, local and national government, logistics, and hospitality.
“We are thrilled to see the growing success of the virtual career fair in providing more professional opportunities for our job-seeking graduates,” said Marshall M. Criser, III, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida. “The virtual platform allows more access for graduates and businesses, and reflects the System’s commitment to adapting to emerging workforce trends and meeting the state’s needs.”
Staff at the University of Florida’s Career Connections Center took the lead in organizing the 2021 event and hosted it on the Career Fairs plus platform. The app enables attendees to schedule one-on-one live chats or video calls with recruiters, as well as sort employers by experience level and open positions. This year, a total of 2,859 meetings took place between employers and students.
“The virtual Florida Statewide Job Fair has been one of the silver linings of the global pandemic,” said Lauren Loeffler, Chair of the Florida Career Centers Consortium and Executive Director of Career Development and Community Engagement at UWF. “By offering this event virtually, we’ve been able to increase access to a greater diversity of employment opportunities for our students and access to a larger base of highly-qualified talent for our employers. With the success of the event the past two years, it’s likely a virtual offering of this event will continue beyond the pandemic.”
For more information about job fairs, visit https://floridacareercenters.org/.
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Facts about the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The system has 12 universities and more than 420,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the system’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the System’s chief executive. For more, visit flbog.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.