Lincoln Tech Career Fairs Connect Students, Employers

Around the country, employers are finding it hard to fill hands-on positions that require certain skill sets.  In the auto, diesel, manufacturing, HVAC and healthcare industries – along with many, many others – tens of thousands of jobs are expected to open in the next 10 years*.  But who’s going to fill them?

With the right skills, you can!

In-demand careers start with in-demand skills.  Once you have those skills, the best schools will help you connect with hiring managers that want to give you a job – and no one around the country does it better than Lincoln Tech.

“We’ve built relationships with top employers around the country for more than 70 years,” says Susan English, Lincoln Tech’s Vice President of Career Services and Partnerships.  “They trust the Lincoln name and know that our graduates are going to be true professionals for the organizations that hire them.  Because we invite our partners to be part of our curriculum advisory boards, we know what skills are in demand – and they know our graduates have those skills.”

“By helping our graduates build individual success stories,” she adds, “We’re also building the nation’s workforce.”

Build your skills, build your network.

Every year hundreds of employers take part in Lincoln Tech career fairs around the country.  These on-campus events give grads, soon-to-be grads, and hiring managers the chance to meet face to face and talk about career opportunities and aspirations.  Employers come with jobs to fill, and leave with résumés from technicians who have the skills and professional mindset their companies are looking for.  And for many of these employers, they’ll turn to Lincoln Tech again and again when they need more qualified candidates!

“We feel like Lincoln Tech is our partner in staffing,” says David Bailey, Fleet Service Manager at Perth Amboy, NJ-based TMC transport.  “I have about 100 technicians working in my shop, and over half are Lincoln Tech graduates.”

Larry McBride, a Service Manager at AutoNation in Golden, CO, describes a similar experience partnering with Lincoln Tech.  “They’re our local source for highly-trained recruits,” he says.  “Lincoln Tech is a huge resource.”

According to Ken Phipps, Director of Career Services at Lincoln Tech’s Denver campus, part of the reason these career fairs are so successful is that employers come with the expectation of the quality of the candidates they’ll meet.

“We have hiring partners all around the area that are constantly asking us for recommendations and résumés,” Phipps explains.  “They are looking for candidates with solid knowledge in basic fundamentals, flexibility in scheduling, professionalism, possible relocation flexibility, and a clean background check. They feel confident that Lincoln Tech students and graduates possess these [attributes].”

“Lincoln Tech provides a really good student for us,” says Midwest Regional Recruiter Otis Bell of Crown Equipment Corporation.  “That’s why we keep coming back.”

Career fairs help employers bridge the skills gap.

AutoNation’s McBride describes a “shortage of qualified technicians in the country.”  And according to one industry insider, the situation is even more dire. “Our industry needs technicians desperately,” says Ed Adler, General Manager of Hunter Truck Sales, a Clarksburg, NJ Peterbilt dealership.  “A lot of older technicians are retiring or leaving the business, and we need to be able to fix trucks.”

It’s not just the auto and diesel industries feeling the pinch, either.  Lincoln Tech schools that offer training for skilled trades and healthcare careers are partnering with local employers from these industries to help them identify new candidates for their open positions – as could be seen at a recent career fair in Melrose Park, IL:

Lincoln Tech career fairs are a great way to connect with employers looking to hire in your chosen industry!  More than your typical “job fair,” these events are attended by hiring managers who want career-minded professionals with hands-on skills.  And with the backing of the Lincoln Tech name, you’ll be sure to get their attention!

Enroll at your local Lincoln Tech campus today, and the next success story written at a campus career fair could be yours!

* Source: national projections from careeronestop.org for the years 2016-2026