Career Showcase to open early to allow time for metal detector check-through

The Stephen C. O’Connell Center is opening its doors 45 minutes early to UF students attending Career Showcase this week.

The two-day Spring career fair will take place Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days but will allow students in the door as early as 8:15 a.m. for student check-in, said Erica Coste, the associate director of industry relations for the Career Resource Center.

Coste said this is an attempt to mitigate the long line that occurred during Fall’s Career Showcase due to the new installation of metal detectors in the O’Connell Center. The O’Connell Center installed metal detectors at all gates in August ahead of the Fall sports season, which cost $55,000, according to Alligator archives.

There will be four doors with four metal detectors ready at Gate 3 for student check-in to keep the line continuously moving, she said.

“The line was about two-and- a-half hours in fall semester,” Coste said. “But it will hopefully not be that long – which is why we’re trying to get students in the door earlier.”

The showcase will also continue using an app called “UF Career Services” for the event, Coste said. The app includes a map of the employers’ booths and live updates on the recruiters, such as if they’re active or on a break.

The app was first featured during 2017’s Spring showcase, according to Alligator archives.

Between the two days, between 300 and 400 unique employers will be attending, Coste said. Big returning recruiters include Pepsi, Aldi and Amazon.

During Fall’s showcase, 364 companies came, according to Alligator archives.

The first Career Showcase in the newly renovated Stephen C. O'Connell Center drew in many students in January 2017. More than 250 employers showed up for the event.