While much of the news about the economy has been negative recently, the organizer of Iowa State University’s annual Ag Career Day Tuesday says the impact has been minimal. Mike Gaul oversees the event he says is the largest of its kind in the country.
Gaul says they’ve lost around five companies that said they couldn’t attend because of the economic situation — but he says they’re proud that they still have 160 companies attending. Gaul says the diversification of agriculture is probably one of the reasons they’ve weathered the economic storm.
Gaul says they have majors all over the board from the traditional production agriculture, agronomy and animal science to industrial technology, forestry, horticulture to microbiology and food sciences. "All of them right now off some tremendous opportunities out there for students," Gaul says. Gaul says this is the unofficial kick-off for the fall recruitment season on campus.
He says they have some 1,200 students attending, including many students from other schools that are armed with resumes and stopping by company booths looking for internships and full-time jobs. Gaul says in his talks with students, they don’t seem to be concerned that the economy will keep them from finding a job.
"One of the assets of this millennial generation is that they are very optimistic, and the glass is always half full, versus half empty," Gaul says. He says he’s asked students if they’re worried about finding a job in the current market, and not one hand goes up. The Ag Career Day is open to the public from nine A.M. to three p.m. Tuesday in the Great Hall, Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.