IVCC Ag Open House, Job/Internship Fair set in November

Two back-to-back activities hosted by Illinois Valley Community College’s Agriculture Department in November will showcase a range of opportunities, from college to career, in the Illinois Valley area.

The Open House and Transfer Day on Friday, Nov. 1, is an opportunity to meet university representatives and explore transfer options, tour IVCC ag facilities and learn about scholarship opportunities. The event begins at 9 a.m. in the IVCC Cultural Center and continues through 11 a.m.

Preregistration to the open house is preferred. Visit ivcc.edu/agriculture and click on the Ag Open House RSVP button to preregister.

The Job and Internship Fair on Thursday, Nov. 7, gives students a chance to meet agribusiness employers and explore job and internship opportunities. The fair runs from 9 a.m. to noon in CTC 124-125 and is open to all IVCC students and the public. No preregistration is required.

“The open house is geared toward high school students considering what college they want to attend and to community members considering moving forward with an ag degree,” said co-coordinator of the program, Jennifer Timmers, in a news release.

It’s also a great chance to see how the IVCC program has grown and its plans for the future with the new agriculture complex, said co-coordinator Willard Mott.

The open house brings the subject of agriculture and ag education closer to home by offering a chance to speak to representatives from colleges that typically are several hours away, Timmers said.

Even closer to home are the student ambassadors who already have begun their college and career journey and are ready to share their experiences or their choices to transfer or go directly into industry.

“The student perspective on the transition is important, because college is a whole different world,” Timmers said in a news release.

The job and internship fair showcases agriculture at its best and broadest in the variety of opportunities represented there, Mott said.

“There will be employers looking for all kinds of skillsets,” whether students want to work in the fields or venture farther afield to branches such as plant research, chemical application, environmental research, livestock farming, mechanics or cannabis production.

Mott said the 20-plus ag industry employers who usually attend the job/internship fair represent national companies with local facilities, illustrating how employees can start locally and go anywhere, or stay in good careers close to home.

“Our students are generally looking to stay local and our program focuses on improving the local ag industry,” Mott said. “Our fair gives employers the first chance to hire students out of our program and gives our students the first chance to get a job locally. It’s a win-win for local industries and students.

“Every year, our students say the fair opened their eyes to the demand and variety out there – jobs that provide benefits, good wages, insurance and retirement. These representatives are from companies you drive by regularly or whose signs you see and didn’t realize all they do.”

Timmers and Mott advise job fair visitors to come prepared with resumes and be ready to apply on the spot.

“Every student could have gotten a job last year, with some left over,” Mott said.

Timmers said several did secure internships.