Technology students network with companies

College of Technology Students received the opportunity to network with companies and learn more about a variety of job opportunities.  

Company Day at the KTC was held Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 17 and 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

“You can only do so much reading online and a lot of times companies seem to word things to make it sound kind of weird where you don’t even understand what they’re talking about..,” said Nathanael Berwaldt, senior in electrical engineering technology. “…but when you get in here and talk to companies and talk to people that are in the industry you get a better understanding of what they actually do and it actually makes it sound much more appealing when you’re actually talking to people,”  

It was held in the hallways throughout the south end of the KTC so students could stop and talk to companies between classes.  

“I think it’s very well thought out as far as where it’s placed, you know it allows people that are technology students to go to class and come back and between classes talk to companies versus having it at the plaster or over on main campus it makes it a little more challenging to get there,” Berwaldt said. 

Company Day gives students in the KTC the opportunity to network without having to travel to the main PSU campus or the Weede.  

“I think it’s important because you have people graduating all the time and it’s really hard to find a company on your own outside of school so to have them all here is so helpful,”  said Alicia Lowrey, senior in mechanical engineering technology.  

It helps companies find future employees and interns as well as provides students the opportunity to find a company to work with after graduation.  

“I believe this is actually our eleventh year being a part of company days,” said Carmen Leathers, human resources assistant at Modine Manufacturing. “My boss built a very good relationship with Pitt State when she first moved to the company in Joplin and we’re just huge fans. We have a bunch of alum that work for us and I think we’ve had fifty plus interns from Pitt State over the years so it’s a great pool of kids.” 

This year was Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s first time attending the College of Technology’s Company Days. Goodyear had Elijah Herrington, PSU alumnus, attend to look for more PSU students to be future employees. 

“I’m here looking for our environmental and safety management majors and I’m looking for various forms of engineering students,” Herrington said. “We have thirteen facilities across America and we need every bit of help we can get… It’s great, gets the industry in here and it gives students the idea of what’s out there. I think it’s all around a good idea,”  

A variety of companies had booths set up this year looking for students in many different majors through the technology department. PSU’s graduate school also had a booth set up.  

“I think it’s great, just graduating college myself a year ago it’s a great opportunity to network, get your name out there as well as get the feel of the companies in the area and it gives them a good chance to show their resume off, practice their interview skills, all of that,” Leathers said.