Job fair links students to jobs
Students came face-to-face with prospective employers during the first Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management job fair.
More than a dozen businesses representing scores of restaurants and lodging establishments set up tables in the Culinary Arts Center on March 24. Students met with business representatives, filled out applications, gathered materials and left resumes.
Eating establishments on hand included places such as David’s, Scales, Evo Kitchen + Bar, Amato’s, Ocean Gardens, Kindred Assisted Living and Boone’s Fish House. Also on hand were businesses that own and/or operate the Marriott at Sable Oaks, the Black Point Inn, Nonantum Resort, the Westin Portland Harborview and The Press Hotel, among others.
Hospitality Management Chair Maureen LaSalle said the job fair was a way to bring together students with employers who can help them grow professionally on the job.
Culinary student Adam Goodwin said the fair is particularly helpful for first-year students who are still learning about the restaurant industry.
“It’s sometimes hard and intimidating to just go into a restaurant and ask for a job,” he said.
Michael Martin, who with his wife owns Ocean Gardens Restaurant in Gorham and a soon-to-open steakhouse in Cornish, said the job fair allows him to establish connections with prospective employees who are looking for a good-paying start to a career.
“We know how hard it is to find quality help,” he said, “and this is a great place to start.”
SMCC Dining: Want local food? We’ve got it
When SMCC students eat on campus, there’s a good possibility the food comes from a local farm or supplier.
Whether it’s coffee, fish, veggie burgers, ice cream, tomatoes or any of many other foods and beverages, Sodexo SMCC Dining sources products for Oceanview Dining Hall and the SeaWolves Café from at least 19 local vendors as part of its Maine Course by Sodexo program.
The program’s goal is to increase purchases of local Maine products while growing partnerships with the local community. Sodexo says it is committed to “supporting the Maine economy, agriculture and fisheries through increasing its purchasing of local products.”
Local vendors that supply products to SMCC Dining are:
- Apple Acres: Apples
- Backyard Farms: Tomatoes
- Blue Mango: Veggie burgers
- Central Maine Meats: Meat and chicken products
- Coffee By Design: Coffee
- Deep River: Chips
- Fishbowl Farm: Salad greens
- Gifford’s Ice Cream: Ice cream
- Grandy Oats: Granola products
- Green Bee: Natural sodas
- Green Thumb Farms: Potatoes
- Gulf of Maine Research Institute: Maine-caught fish
- Heiwa Tofu: Tofu products
- Jarva Cakes: Lava cakes
- Maine Grains: Grain products
- Oakhurst: Milk
- Pineland Farms: Cheese and burgers
- Ricker Hill: Apples and apple cider
- Wyman’s of Maine: Blueberries
Photo caption: Lori Kincade of Green Bee soda, Constantine Lallo of Blue Mango Veggie Burgers and Jeff Wolovitz of Heiwa Tofu shared samples of their products in the Campus Center Atrium on March 20.
Precision Machining alumni reach out to students
Precision Machining alumni are on the lookout to hire SMCC students.
Over the past few weeks, SMCC graduates who now work in key positions at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, General Electric in Auburn and Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg have visited SMCC to meet with current Precision Machining students.
The alumni told students about their time at SMCC and what their education here meant to them and where they are today professionally, said Precision Machining Chair John Bolduc. They also talked about employment opportunities (two of the alumni were accompanied by HR personnel) at their companies and gave out information on how to apply.
Students always benefit when they meet former students who have gained success, Bolduc said. In all, about 45 students took part in the meetings.
“This is part of our ongoing effort to connect students with industry,” he said.