Helping CUE Students Get Closer to Their Careers

How Career Prep Events Set Students Up for Success at the CUE Career Fair

What are you doing after graduation?

That can be a scary question for students to face. They’ve worked hard—studying, writing essays, and completing exams. And now graduation (and Convocation) are right there on the horizon. But what happens after that?

It’s pretty normal to be looking toward graduation and wondering, “now what?”

But CUE students don’t have to face this alone.

CUE provides services built directly into the student experience, such as Career Services, Experiential Learning, and Work-Integrated Learning, helping students develop career-ready skills as part of their regular classes.

This past January, CUE students took part in a full week of career preparation events designed to help them feel confident and ready ahead of the annual CUE Career Fair. Industry volunteers from a wide range of sectors came to campus to share their expertise and help students prepare for what comes next—through resume reviews, mock interviews, speed networking, and application support.

Real-world, hands-on experience came to campus through a series of targeted events. Sessions such as Navigating the Career Fair helped students understand what to expect when engaging with employers, while a Human Resources professional from Enterprise Mobility offered insight into the hiring process. Mock interviews and speed networking sessions with more than 10 industry professionals gave students practical opportunities to practice communicating their skills and experience as they prepared to enter the job market.

“I’ve always been passionate about mentoring and coaching, and feel this type of event is important for students to go and practice one of the most important skills in any job—communication,” said Matt Santos, Founder of BOM Growth.

Industry volunteers echoed the value of giving students space to practice and build confidence. Laura Sinclair from Fort Edmonton Park, who volunteered her time for the speed networking and mock interviewing event, emphasized how these experiences help students step outside their comfort zones.

“Networking and mock interview opportunities are important for students because they allow them to build confidence, push them out of their social skills comfort zone, and introduce them to roles and career paths they may not have known existed,” Sinclair said.

She also noted the professionalism and preparedness of CUE students during the event. “The students I met were open and receptive to feedback. They had strong conversational skills, firm handshakes, and good eye contact. Some even connected with me on LinkedIn afterward to say thank you.”

These experiences gave students the chance to get their “reps in,” building confidence through repeated practice in speaking about their skills, experiences, and career goals—while also gaining insights into current and emerging industry trends. As Sinclair noted, building a professional network early can provide students with a competitive advantage as they enter the job market.

By the time the CUE Career Fair arrived, bringing more than 70 businesses to campus, students weren’t just showing up with resumes; they were showing up with confidence, clarity, and a better understanding of how to translate their CUE education into meaningful careers.

“If students can come out with a little bit more confidence and clarity about entering the next stage in their career, we’ve done our jobs,” said Santos.

These career prep events helped students get closer—not just to their first job after graduation, but to their long-term goals.