Indigenous Career Fair on March 31 meant to promote opportunities for students

The U of T Career Exploration and Education department, along with First Nations House, is hosting an online Indigenous Career Fair on March 31 from 12:00–2:00 pm. 

The event will be open to all Indigenous students and recent graduates across all programs and years of study, and from all Ontario colleges and universities. It is an opportunity to build a network and connect with various employers that are offering full-time, part-time, internship, and volunteer opportunities. 

Opportunities focused on Indigenous students

In an interview with The Varsity, Mahfam Nikko, the events and communications coordinator within the employer recruitment and engagement team at the Career Exploration and Education Office, acknowledged that equity-deserving groups’ needs are usually overlooked in the labour market. Despite the fact that the Indigenous population in Canada is growing, a 2019 Statistics Canada report found that they are still underrepresented in the workforce. 

Nikko said that the Career Exploration and Education Office tries to tackle making spaces for marginalized people in the workforce. According to Nikko, events such as this fair that focus on Indigenous communities might provide an opportunity of connection with employers that these students might not have otherwise. 

How is the event structured? 

The event is a self-directed opportunity in which students will receive information and advice on the recruitment and hiring processes, career paths, application writeups, and more. Attendees will have access to a page containing information about the employers, their organizations, and the opportunities, and they can choose which employers to talk to on a video call during the fair.

The event will use a “Talent Zone” platform. Students will be able to create a profile for themselves, including a résumé and a headshot, which employers will also have access to. That way, not only will students be able to reach out to employers, but employers can also contact students who they believe could fit a position they are offering. 

Students will still have access to these pages up to 90 days after the fair. Although the live video call for the event will only be available during the two-hour time frame, other information and resources will remain available after it ends.

All Indigenous students can register for the event until 9:00 am on March 31 through the Career Learning Network, which they can also use to contact the department if they have any questions.