Jennifer Bramer, recently appointed director of York’s Career Centre, is looking to provide more opportunities for students to connect with employers and viceversa.
A York alumna, Bramer brings to the position strong knowledge of the student community development portfolio and previous experience working with large private sector organizations in the areas of student and new graduate recruitment and career development. She holds a Certified Human Resources Professional designation, a bachelor of administrative studies from York and is nearing completion of her MBA with the Schulich School of Business.
Right: Jennifer Bramer
“The Career Centre has a wonderful array of job search and career exploration services and activities for students, and I want to increase the awareness of all the centre does. I also want to focus on expanding our opportunities to connect students and new grads with employers."
These opportunities range from internships and volunteer positions to full-time, part-time and summer employment. There are approximately 1,000 job postings currently open to York students on the Career Centre's free job posting system, with over 5,000 registered employers and over 27,000 registered students.
Bramer also wants to facilitate more networking opportunities for students with employers. “We have great relationships with companies such as IBM and RIM and we are continuing to look for new companies to partner with.” At the recent Industry Insights Accounting Panel, Ernst & Young LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, KPMG LLP and Deloitte & Touche LLP were all in attendance.
“High profile employers are eager to meet with students on campus. They value the York degree and the interdisciplinary experience the University offers. It is an opportunity for the students to learn more about the organizations and the organizations to learn about our unique students," Bramer says.
“We’re also realizing that public sector positions are increasingly of interest to many students.” The recent Ontario Public Service Panel hosted by the centre drew well over 250 students. A total of over 500 students have registered for the three most recent panel sessions. “The students really enjoy the panels. The excitement and engagement is really great.” The next panel sessions are Discovering Careers in Human Resources Management on Nov. 5 and Discovering Careers in Information Technology on Nov. 19.
In addition, partnerships with Faculties and departments are a key focus and there are plans to work more closely with Alumni & Advancement Services to connect students and new grads with alumni through programs such as the Career Conversations Panel Series and Take a Student to Eat (TASTE).
“I also have a strong interest in the role social media can play in raising student awareness and in bringing services and information to students where they are. That is a significant area for us to explore,” says Bramer. “We'll be looking to take advantage of creative ways we can leverage technology and work with our campus partners to create more opportunities for students, and I’m looking forward to an exciting year ahead.”