The S.T.E.M. College-to-Work-Ready Summit on Saturday, Sept. 17 helped students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields prepare for careers after graduation.
Held at the Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center, the event lasted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and included a panel discussion, professional speakers and break-out sessions.
Michael Robertson, executive director of Technology Association of Georgia’s Education Collaborative, Inc.; and Dr. Robin Mathis, assistant professor of organizational leadership at Mercer University.
Students asked the guest speakers advice for pursuing future employment, what employers are looking for in candidates and how to stand out among peers. Richard Zambacca, president of Randstad Engineering, advised students to take advantage of networking and contacts.
“Don’t be afraid to talk about your achievements,” Zambacca said.
Bafana Moyo, founder of Martin Lloyd Inc., highlighted that students should have enthusiasm about what they are interested in and what makes them unique.
“Everyone needs to have a way to express who you are,” Moyo said. “Get your work in some sort of portfolio that you can share.”
Other topics covered in the panel discussion included how long graduates should stay in their first job and the changes in current workforce dynamics compared to previous generations in the S.T.E.M. fields.
Lunch followed the panel discussion at noon and the event reconvened at 1 p.m. for a presentation from Michelle Prince, senior vice president of talent management for Randstad North America. The presentation covered today’s workplace, the future workforce and global trends.
Dr. Karen Hypolite, an assistant professor of chemistry at Kennesaw State University and S.T.E.M. coach, hosted the event.
“We want to present students as a cohesive package to employers as highly-qualified S.T.E.M. employees,” Hypolite said. There is a need for students in S.T.E.M., and Hypolite urges those interested not to be intimidated by the pursuit of a career in those fields.
“I want to help students architect their career path using critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” Hypolite said. “Learning problem-solving and how to come up with answers to preempt problems in [the student’s] industry and make connections between the real-world and the classroom.”
Hypolite discovered her passion for chemistry in her sophomore year of high school and wants to help students incorporate their own passion into their fields of study.
Fernando Castellani, a senior at KSU majoring in biochemistry, attended the event to learn what an employer is looking for and to network for internships for this spring.
“You have to invest a lot of time into your degree and know how to balance personal life and studying,” Castellani said.
To learn more about the S.T.E.M. summit, visit http://thinkstemsummit.info/ for more information.