Jones Edmunds and JEACES participated in the University of Florida’s Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment (ESSIE) biannual career showcase. The “Afternoon with Industry” event was held in a virtual format for the first time, which presented the challenge of making a strong impression on students and alumni seeking jobs without getting to offer a personal handshake and speak in person.

The event went well and our Associates received some extraordinary feedback from attendees. HR Director Ginger Hamner, Infrastructure Managing Director Brian Icerman, Ecology & Water Resources Senior Manager Suzi Kaufman, and Infrastructure Engineer Intern Timothy Lillo held a chat room at the event that for 5 hours consistently drew a steady crowd of 10-15 students and alumni who could easily have left to view other companies but chose to stay and hear what we had to say.

To aid in engagement, our team conducted live broadcasts every 30 minutes to talk about cool projects, life as an engineer, Jones Edmunds culture, and the various disciplines. We advertised the times and topics in an introduction message so students could attend their session of interest. We had such interest that many students stayed in our chat room for multiple hours just to meet our various representatives. In response to TJ’s broadcast, one student typed “This is definitely the most organized company at the event so far. Solid presentation, TJ!” Another student thanked Suzi for her recent presentation and followed up with “Thank you all for your time in making these presentations. They have been a great opportunity to get to know the company. I am looking forward to applying for future opportunities in the company.” Several students made comments through private and public chat that they had learned so much about who we are and our culture through this event that it made them want to work with us.