The University of Idaho Argonaut

Attendants of the Career Expo of the Palouse get the chance to talk to representatives from dozens of different organizations Feb. 13 in the Kibbie Dome. This year the Career Expo will be held separate from Washington State University's career fair. File Photo

This year the University of Idaho is hosting the Career Expo without  collaborating with Washington State University.
“It was very economical. Vendors could recruit from two student populations at one fair,” said Suzi Billington, the director of the UI Career and Professional Planning office. “It was the largest career fair in the Pacific Northwest.”

Traditionally the fall expo is held in Pullman while the spring event is in Moscow. UI will now offer both, and it’s enjoying some of the benefits.
“We are learning to be more creative in attracting students to the fair and career planning,” Billington said. “We are working on developing a second world virtual career interaction program.

She said using this new media would allow students to log on to the Internet program as well as the vendors. Interviews can take place with avatars, and no one has to leave the comfort of their desktop.”
Billington said there would be a second world career fashion show coming up, and the second program helps students cope with the stress of a face-to-face interview.

The reasoning behind the split up is somewhat unknown.
“We have worked with them for over 10 years,” Billington said. “I know there was some budgeting issues, but we really enjoyed working with them. It just doesn’t seem economical to split up.”
Washington State Career Services Representative Debbie Edwards confirmed the university was downsizing, and having a single career fair was part of the cutbacks.

“We have a smaller staff, but have been asked to do more,” Edwards said. “It also was difficult in switching campuses every fall and spring.”
Student and vendor turnout was a concern in both parties.

“We hope to keep our student attendance up, keeping it on our campus. WSU students are our priority,” Edwards said. “Vendors will have to choose, but if there is something at WSU a UI student is interested in, we are always here to help and vice versa.”
Billington was hopeful as well.
“Actually, I think our attendance will be higher in light of the fact that we are keeping it here,” Billington said. “We’ll have our majors offered instead of seeing majors that are offered at WSU and not here.”
Both universities wanted to stress they are willing to help on both sides.
As far as future plans, they want to see how the split pans out.
“We are open to new ideas at all times,” Billington said.
Even with this split up, UI
Career and Professional Planning Center is open to do all it had before.
“I don’t want students to think this is some sort of end all,” Billington said. “We are here to do what we always have. We are here to help.”
She said the facility is here to help students with resumes, cover letters, mock interviews and anything else they need to prepare to advance to the next state in life.
“We want to help in any way. We focus on the students, and want to reiterate our interest resides in them,” Billington said.