Career Fair Helps Connect Graduating Students with Future Employers

UW SOCIAL WORK CAREER FAIR HELPS CONNECT GRADUATING STUDENTS WITH FUTURE EMPLOYERS

Finding that first job right after graduation can sometimes be a daunting experience. For graduating seniors and advanced year MSW students, that task was made easier thanks to a Social Work Career Fair, held April 1, in the UW College of Health Sciences. The job fair was planned and organized by Billie Chapman, Director of Field Education and Sarah Green, BSW Field Coordinator.

The career fair hosted 15 employers from around Wyoming, and provided students the opportunity to learn more about potential places of employment and learn about positions currently available as well as future openings at various human service and government agencies.

A number of employers present at the career fair also work with the Social Work Program providing graduate and undergraduate students with field placements. Critical to job preparation in both undergraduate and graduate Social Work Programs is placement in actual work environments prior to graduation. Students are supervised by an agency professional staff member and participate in field seminar. This not only allows students to obtain ‘hands-on’ work experience, but also provides opportunity to make connections with potential future employers.

In discussing the importance of field education, Chapman stated, “Field Education is considered the signature pedagogy in accredited social work programs by the Council on Social Work Education; this means field placements are the cornerstone of the education social work students receive in preparation to become professional social workers. We highly value the partnerships we have with agencies who provide field placement opportunities for our students. In turn, many of our graduates fill job openings that our partner agencies have at the time of graduation and throughout their careers.”

While challenges do exist for newly graduated social workers, a number of employers around the state already have at least one alumni from the UW Division of Social Work actively serving in areas such as child welfare, addiction treatment, mental health, and housing. These experienced alumni are a great resource in assisting new social workers beginning their social work careers. A number of these alumni were present at the career fair, representing their employers and answering questions from students.

Albany County in southeast Wyoming is home to a number of agencies where social workers assist individuals, families, and their communities.

Among those represented at the career fair were Safe Project, the Cathedral Home, and Interfaith. Each of these provides specific and many times confidential services to community members.

Alexa Becerra, a native of Cheyenne, is a graduate student in the UW Social Work program and graduated in

Left: Students attending the career fair were able to interact directly with representatives from agencies and employers from Laramie and around Wyoming. Above, from left, social work students Julia Cathey, Gillette; Alexa Becerra, Cheyenne; and Jamie Smiertenly, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, speak with Jeremy Silcox, seated, from Teton Youth and Family Services, Jackson, WY. Silcox is a 2001 alumnus of the Masters of Social Work (MSW) program.

spring 2022. “The career fair did benefit me because I was able to get an idea of different areas of employment that I hadn’t considered before,” says Becerra. “I also got a lot of questions answered about licensure and found out most of the employers at the career fair help with the licensure process and include supervision.”

“At this time,” notes Becerra, “I am open to any area in social work that isn’t specifically clinically focused, with my long-term goal being working with the immigrant/refugee population in any capacity.”

Events like the Social Work Career Fair and others sponsored by the UW Division of Social Work all help to round out graduating students’ education so they are better equipped to enter social work practice with the knowledge and competencies needed to succeed.

Field Education is considered the signature pedagogy in accredited social work programs by the Council on Social Work Education; this means field placements are the cornerstone of the education social work students receive in preparation to become professional social workers.”

– Billie Chapman, Field Education Director

According to Division Director Downey, “I was delighted to interact with our graduates and personally witnessed their professional growth in their agency positions as well as the role many have assumed as field instructors. It is clear that the Division of Social Work is making a significant contribution to the welfare of Wyoming citizens. I am also grateful to Billie Chapman and Sarah Green for their hard work in providing such a successful event for our students.”

Division of Social Work graduates who returned to represent their agencies at the job fair are pictured with the Director of the Division. Front row, from left: Alyssa Bjorkquist, MSW, Alzheimer’s Association; Megan Wild, MSW, Greater Wyoming Big Brothers Big Sisters; Jennifer Lindstrom, MSW LIV Health. Back row, from left: Jessica Jaycox, BSW, YES House; Dr. Eleanor Pepi Downey, Director; Natalie Villalabos, MSW, CRMC Outpatient Behavioral Health Unit; Jeremy Silcox, MSW, Teton Youth and Family Services.