Mechatronics Workshop Prepares Students for Job Search

An education from Clover Park Technical College aims at job preparation, and as part of that goal the Mechatronics program hosted a Job Search 101/Career Info Session for its students earlier this week.

The program, which took place Wednesday morning, included 27 Mechatronics and Fundamental Skills for Manufacturing and Engineering (FSME) students. The agenda featured job search and resume building workshops, along with an employer panel. CPTC career development coordinator Tiffany Windmeyer and Connecting Competencies to Employers (C2E) career navigator Fiona Johnson facilitated the training sessions. Those workshops aimed to equip students with the tools they need in a job search, including resume and cover letter writing, job interview techniques and understanding soft skills versus hard skills.

“The idea sprouted from our intention to do a small graduation/celebration for the FSME students and morphed into something all of our students could participate in,” Johnson said. “Our goal is to get students connected with potential employers and prepare them for the employment application process early rather than late.”

Three local employers participated in the panel, with Thomas Bolt representing SeaTac Packaging, Dave Cottrill representing Boeing and Felicity Pau representing Oberto Brands. All three work in hiring for their respective companies, and each shared their experiences and recommendations for students while applying for jobs. The goal of the employer panel was to connect students with local employers in an informal setting where they can learn about the companies and their culture and learn about available positions and qualities those companies look for in potential employees.

This event was the first of its kind for the program. CPTC received the C2E grant in 2014 to devote resources to creating a core mechatronics technician path for advanced manufacturing and industrial technology careers, allowing graduates to pursue high-demand positions in the Puget Sound region. The Mechatronics Technician Degree Program integrates Fundamental Skills for Manufacturing and Engineering and involves the integration of control, electronic, mechanical and computer systems for advanced manufacturing.

According to C2E Grant program assistant Vicky Chungtuyco, Wednesday’s workshop “complements one fundamental aspect of the program: providing robust and effective student support through intensive coaching, career navigation services, targeted career readiness training and targeted remediation skill gaps in areas such as math and communication skills.”