Healthcare companies search for assistance

     A career expo is primarily about progressing a person’s life, but last Thursday, the Nursing and Health Careers Expo was all about recruiting new people to health care professions to secure and progress the lives of others.
     Twenty organizations were present at the expo to scout out and recruit potential employees. The expo was sponsored by the GCSU Career Center and held in the Maxwell Student   Union Lounge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 28. Companies  ranged from local health care institutions, such as Central State Hospital, to national ones, such as United States Army Medical Recruiting.
     The purpose of the expo was rather clear, especially to visitor Dr. David Lake, professor and department head of physical therapy at Armstrong Atlantic State University.
     “Basically the purpose of events like these is two fold,” Lake said. “First, it helps those interested in going to grad school by strengthening students clinical background so that they can become more educated, and second, it helps undergraduates become aware of internship opportunities at hospitals and health care agencies.”
     Senior health education major Mikeshia Jones echoed the remarks of Lake by saying that her main purpose was to hunt for internship opportunities.
     “For me right now I am looking for an internship,” Jones said.     “The expo was helpful for me to see what kind of areas I can get into in healthcare.”
     Although this event may be of great benefit to seniors, Lake stressed for students to not wait until they are about to graduate to participate in expos.
     “Students should come as freshman and get a good idea of what they are looking for and what classes they need to take,” Lake said. “I recommend students come as early as possible. It is a great way to network with potential employers and get a real feel of the market.”
     Freshman biology major Laura Gooche agrees that it is important to take advantage of these events our school offers as early as possible.
     “These events get everybody out and show what kind of jobs are out there, and it shows everybody all the majors that are available in the field,” Gooche said.
     In January, the country faced a net loss of 17,000 jobs, according to the Labor Department. This marked the first decline in payrolls in four years dating back to August 2003, but organizations at the expo were not worried about the rapid decline in the nation’s economy.
     Dawn Jones, the nurse coordinator at Georgia War Veterans Home, was at the expo recruiting for assistance at veteran homes in North Carolina and South Carolina and assured students there is always a large need for healthcare workers.
     “There will always be a big demand for help,” Jones said. “All of the baby boomers are now in need of professional help. There is also an increase in nursing shortages. Nurses are becoming burnt out and leaving the field to go into other businesses.”
     The day went well, and the expo received a modest turnout. However, there were suggestions offered to increase future appeal.
     “I say that next year definitely have it in the Centennial Center,” Gooche said. “There is more room to work with, not only for students but also for the employers attending.”

Present at the expo…

• Armstrong Atlantic State University
• Baldwin County DFCS
• Department of Juvenile Justice
• Central State Hospital
• Chaplinwood Nursing Home
• Coliseum Medical Centers
• Compassionate Care Clinic
• East Metro Health District
• GCSU School of Health and Sciences
• Georgia Correctional Healthcare
• Hodac, Inc.
• Houston Healthcare
• Medical Center of Central Georgia
• Northside Hospital
• Oconee Center CSB
• Oconee regional Medical Center
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Putnam General Hospital
• United Veteran Services
• US Army Medical Recruiting

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 7 2008. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry