Dressed for a job interview (or perhaps a dozen of them), Jayson Johnson attended Wednesday’s Engineering Career Fair on a mission — land an internship to begin applying what he’s learned in the classroom to get real hands-on experience..
“Something with instrumentation and controls, working with equipment design, problem solving, problem solutions or whatever a company needs,” said the 32-year-old former U.S. Marine who returned to college a few years ago for a rewarding career in electrical engineering. “That’s why I chose engineering — I wanted something different, I’ve always liked math and science, and I enjoy problem solving. That’s the reason for the career pivot — this is me starting over at 32.”
Johnson joined more than 100 Campbell University School of Engineering students at the Career Fair, which featured nearly 30 companies, including big names like Pfizer, Caterpillar and Altec. Founding Dean Dr. Jenna Carpenter said the fair is a chance for students to not only land that all-important internships (and potentially get their foot in the door for a job), but also to build their interviewing and communication skills.
“Engineering students should have one, preferably two, internships before they graduate,” Carpenter said. “Companies know that, and that’s why they’re here.”
Jerry Pedley with Mertek Solutions Inc., a custom automation and robotics engineering company based in Sanford, has been a longtime supporter of the engineering program at Campbell, and he said he likes attending this particular career fair because of the quality of students he meets.
“One of the students that I’m talking to right now asked me the question, ‘Would I design a machine or would I be cross-trained?’ That’s a very good question — Campbell students get hands-on training and project-based learning like at no other school. That’s one of the reasons we come here. We’re a small company, and we like cross-trained individuals who can fit anywhere in our company.”
John Larch, a regional engineer for the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, echoed Pedley’s thoughts on the quality of Campbell’s students.
“They’re exceptionally professional, well-spoken, and I would say they’re very engaging when they come up to us,” he said. “They’ve got good questions. They’re organized. A real great, great group of up-and-coming engineers.”
Campbell’s School of Engineering learned in September it was ranked second in North Carolina and in the Top 20 percent nationally for undergraduate-only engineering programs, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Campbell’s school ranked 55th nationally out of 306 ABET-accredited engineering programs that do not offer a doctorate degree. The rankings are based on peer assessment surveys of deans and senior faculty from across the country.
The School of Engineering, which held its inaugural class in 2016, has grown to become one of the most inclusive programs in the nation, recognized nationally for its hands-on curriculum.