An estimated 300 students and alumni attended the Creative Industries Career Fair Feb 12. Photo provided by Ryan Braaten, CVPA.
The idea for George Mason University’s Creative Industries Career Fair began six years ago with a small information table at an “Arts in the Real World” panel discussion, which featured College of Visual and Performing Arts alumni answering questions from students about future careers, as well as internship brochures from local arts organizations.
The brochures were so popular with students that the college decided to launch an entire career fair targeting the creative industries. The fair has expanded into Creative Industries Week, which this year was Feb. 11-15 and featured portfolio workshops and panel discussions. The Feb. 12 career fair at the Center for the Arts featured 30 employers. An estimated 300 students and alumni attended.
“When we think of creative disciplines, we think of fine arts, dance and theater, but the industry as a whole includes so much more, such as writers, videographers and graphic designers,” said Ryan Braaten, associate director for development in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “It is great to connect students of the fine arts disciplines to the abundance of professional opportunities in the for-profit creative world.”
Tylor Goshorn, a sophomore theater major, said the career fair showed him there are different opportunities available, such as the FBI’s need for actors to star in short films that cover issues such as the dangers of substance abuse.
“I hadn’t even considered how a degree in the arts could be useful to them,” Goshorn said.
Career fairs featuring a specific industry are a great way for students to find jobs that link to their interests, Braaten said. And Zachary Shelton of STEM exCEL, a Fairfax company that supports STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) enrichment programs at more than 80 elementary schools in Northern Virginia, said the fairs also help employers.
“It can often be difficult for employers to find who they are looking for in a broad crowd of people,” Shelton said. “But in a targeted event, they can find students with their desired skill set.”