NIU students can meet future employers at NIU’s Fourth Annual Cooperative Education and Internship Career Fair on Wednesday in the Duke Ellington Ballroom in the Holmes Student Center.

The career fair, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is being sponsored by the Cooperative Education Program and the Career Planning and Placement Center.

Virginia McKeefery, co-op associate director at the Career Planning and Placement Center, said about 25 percent of the companies who were involved in the fair last year are back this year. The other 75 percent are new companies.

McKeefery said these companies represent many different fields. She said the majority of companies offer paid positions, and course credit varies by department and college. She said students typically receive three credit hours per semester.

McKeefery said 60 percent of the students nationwide who participate in a co-op are offered positions with the company they worked for.

McKeefery said she encouraged students to bring resumes to the fair, but it is not necessary. She said many employers will be having informal interviews and classroom attire is acceptable.

McKeefery said about 1,000 students attended the fair last year, but said she hopes more will attend this year. She said “We always like to do better.”

Freshmen are encouraged to attend the fair so they can meet employers and enroll in the co-op program, McKeefery said. She said, “We’re looking forward to a very successful day.”

William Southern, director of the Cooperative Education Program, said opportunities for students who come to the fair are great. He said, “I think the program is extremely successful. Employer response has been remarkable, and student response is great.”

Southern said the program received 480 calls from students about available co-op positions. He said there are a good diversity of positions available.

Southern said the fair provides students with a chance to talk face-to-face with employers, and find out in which areas they need more preparation.

“One thing students fail to realize is that a co-op gives them experience. Students who want to be on the competitive edge should participate in a co-op,” Southern said.

Lee Sachs, manager of area personnel for Jewel Food Stores, said he recommends students to go to the fair and meet with the employers who are registered at the fair, which includes Jewel.

“We like the career fair because it sets us up for interviews,” Sachs said.

Sachs said Jewel is looking for seniors who are looking for a job, students who want an internship and students interested in a co-op.

Sachs said they are interested in several majors including business and liberal arts. He said the students would be paid for an internship or a co-op. Sachs said, “We hire these people as normal, full-time employees.”

Sachs recommended students take advantage of the co-op program because they are able to get work experience sooner than they can in an internship. A co-op lasts two semesters, during which the student works full-time for a company while receiving college credit.