Troy— According to the recent National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job 2015 report, employers plan to hire 8.3 percent more new college graduates from the Class of 2015 for their U.S. operations than they did from the Class of 2014. This news comes just as the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is set to host its 10th annual Spring Career Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the Alumni Sports and Recreations Center (Armory).

“The annual Career Fair presents an exciting opportunity for us to showcase Rensselaer’s talented and diverse students across all our academic programs,” said Jennifer Walters, center director. “Additionally, the Career Fair allows employers to seek out candidates for internships, co-ops, and full-time opportunities. We are pleased to host nearly 150 companies and introduce them to the over 2,000 Rensselaer students who attend the event each year.”

In addition, in an effort to literally place the “power to prepare for the fair in the hands of Rensselaer students,” the CCPD will again offer a full-feature iPhone, iPad, and Android app. The Career Fair+ App, launched last year, provides students with instant access to all of the important information they would need for the Career Fair, including a map, employer profiles, the type of positions employers are recruiting for, and tips for success.

The CCPD Spring Career Fair attracts employers from across the country. This year, 60 employers participating in the fair hail from New York state, including several Capital Region-based companies, along with areas of the Northeast. During the fair, Rensselaer undergraduate and graduate students will have an opportunity to meet and talk with more than 300 representatives from public- and private-sector employers.

Participating companies include: AngioDynamics, Apprenda LLC, Atlas Autotask, Bloomberg, Blue Sky Studios, Boeing, Bullex, Cisco Systems, Deloitte, Dropbox, Ecovative Design, Emagination Computer Camps, FactSet Research Systems Inc., GE, GlobalFoundries, Green Mountain Energy, IBM, iRobot, MathWorks, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, NASA Langley Research Center, National Grid, New York State Assembly, nfrastructure, Palantir Technologies, Peace Corps, PepsiCo Frito-Lay, Pitney Bowes Inc., Sandia National Laboratories, Schlumberger, The Blackstone Group, Tripadvisor, U.S. Navy, Venture for America, and ZS Associates.

The fair is designed to help students think ahead to potential full-time, co-op, internship, or summer employment opportunities. Students from all five schools at Rensselaer are encouraged to attend. After attending the Career Fair, the CCPD encourages students to follow up with employers and register to attend the many employer information sessions that take place throughout the spring semester.

Walters noted that the goal of the Center for Career and Professional Development is to provide students with outstanding career services and access to resources and opportunities to enhance their Rensselaer experience and plan for their future.