Representatives from local employers attending the UNM Career Expo say they are hoping to keep the University's graduating students in New Mexico.
The Career Expo, sponsored by UNM Career Services, will be in Johnson Gym on Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Several of the employers setting up booths at the Career Expo are New Mexico or Albuquerque-based companies.
Bert Garcia, a staffing recruiter for Albuquerque Public Schools, explained that working for APS allows students to work in the Albuquerque area so they can stay with their families.
"We are a strong employer," he said. "We're one of the largest employers in the state."
Brent Garcia said APS offers graduating students going into the education field entry-level positions with opportunity for career advancement.
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APS has several positions available, from custodians to teachers, he added.
On-site interviews will be available at the APS booth during the Career Expo, Brent Garcia said.
He said the recruiter will take the students during a screening interview and see what they want to do or what schools they want to go into.
Sarah Friske, a health care recruiter for Lovelace Health Systems, said Lovelace also has a wide variety of positions available - from accounting and finance to management to almost all health care positions.
Friske described Lovelace as a "very good company to work for." She said it is a very family-orientated place and employees recently surveyed stated that they like working there because Lovelace is concerned with employees keeping a work-life balance.
She added that Lovelace is also attending the Career Expo because the company is trying to keep local talent in Albuquerque.
"They're close by family, close by friends and they don't have to move away to have a great opportunity," she said.
Other companies, however, simply view UNM as a prime source for candidates.
Jesse Garcia, the Southwest Regional Public Affairs Specialist for the Peace Corps, wrote in an e-mail that the Albuquerque branch of UNM has been the number one producer of Peace Corps volunteers in New Mexico.
He pointed out that 229 UNM alumni have joined since the agency's creation in 1961, with 25 UNM graduates currently serving all over the world.
Leslye Ellison, director of Career Services, said that students who attend the fair the first day can set up interviews with prospective employers the next day.
She added that many employers will still talk to students even if they can only attend the fair on the second day.
Other employers who will attend the fair include diverse groups such as Boeing, the Census Bureau, Enterprise Rent A Car, Frito Lay, Honeywell, MCI, Mervyn's, PNM, Walgreens and several different branches of UNM.
A complete list of the employers attending the career fair is available online at Career Services' Web site career.unm.edu.
The list includes links to each employer's Web site that offers more information about emloyment opportunities available with each company.
Call Career Services at 277-7795 for more information about the Career Expo.
