Max, Blue Water Controls summer intern, was recruited from St. Clair County Community College's 2022 Career/Job Fair. Photo Courtesy of Blue Water Controls
Connor Dann, Project Manager with Blue Water Controls (BWC), at St. Clair County Community College's 2022 Career/Job Fair. Dann was recruited to BWC years earlier through the fair. Photo Courtesy of Blue Water Controls
Blue Water Controls team photo relaxing at CityFlatsHotel in Port Huron. Photo Courtesy of Blue Water Controls
St. Clair County Community College (SC4) has a long history of helping students and community members achieve their career goals. Offering a wide range of programs and services including career counseling and job placement assistance, the recent Career/Job Fair is just one of the many ways that SC4 and its community partners are helping job seekers find employment.
Kristin Copenhaver, Chief Marketing Officer at SC4, says the college has hosted the Career/Job Fair for more than two decades. This year, nearly 70 businesses from a wide range of industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation, participated in the event which was supported by the City of Port Huron, Economic Development Alliance (EDA) of St. Clair County, Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Works! Macomb/St. Clair, McMorran Place, and SC4’s Support Services and TRIO Program.
Bruce Seymore, EDA Vice President, Business Services, says St. Clair County is experiencing a tight labor market and that the fair is a great opportunity for job seekers to find new careers.
“Companies are still looking for workers to fill open positions that they need to meet their bottom line and the SC4 Career Fair is our largest opportunity for companies to reach and connect with SC4 college students, alumni, and the general public,” he says.
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Connor Dann, Project Manager with Blue Water Controls (BWC), at St. Clair County Community College's 2022 Career/Job Fair. Dann was recruited to BWC years earlier through the fair.
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Blue Water Controls team photo relaxing at CityFlatsHotel in Port Huron.Clyde-based custom automation equipment provider, Blue Water Controls, LLC (BWC), has been a long-time participant in the fair. Debby Wolfe, BWC Co-Owner, CFO, and Business Strategist, says the company has hired several employees through it and that says that one of their employees, Alex, a Mechanical Designer with BWC and an SC4 alumnus, shared that he found his first job in the automation industry through the college’s Career/Job Fair in 2017.
“He said the career fairs were very beneficial to get a view of the job opportunities in our local area,” she says. “He learned of so many things that he either didn’t know existed or didn’t realize he might have an interest in.”
Wolfe says that another unique opportunity the fair offered was for employers to connect with other employers.
“When people came along to our table, sometimes they weren't a good fit for manufacturing or that wasn't exactly what they were looking for, but if someone came up looking for shift or factory work, I could say ‘Oh, I think the area he lives in that Instaset Plastics is there,’” she says. “It's so hard when you're walking through that to stop and talk to every booth as a potential employee, so it was really neat that people got to know each other and where we can help the candidates find what was ideal for them.”
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Liz Fredendall is a photojournalist and communications professional with nonprofit experience. During her free time, she enjoys reading and exploring the Blue Water Area with her husband Erick and their corgi, Nori. Contact Liz at editor@thekeelph.com or follow her on Instagram @lizfredendallphoto.