Job Fair at Langara College in Vancouver Introduces Students to CIFFA Member Companies

Forwarder Online March 23, 2023

Earlier this month, seven CIFFA member companies participated in a job fair at Langara College in Vancouver to meet students interested in employment opportunities in the freight forwarding, freight brokerage, logistics and drayage industries. An eighth company also participated in a panel discussion to answer questions from students.

Participating companies were:

  • 1UP Cargo
  • Cole International
  • Courtney Agencies
  • DSV Air & Sea
  • Harbour Link Container Services Inc.
  • Helicopters International Shipping Inc.
  • ITN Logistics Group (participated only on the panel)
  • Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

About 70 students from Langara’s Supply Chain and Logistics post-degree program, including graduates from within the last three years, attended the day-long event. The employers held mini interviews to get to know the students.

Employer feedback included the following:

  • Great students and made some great connections for future hiring.
  • Having time to speak with the students 1 on 1, rather than just the typical brief career fair connects was the highlight of this event for me.
  • Out of approximately 40 candidates engaged, about four would be considered “high potential talent.”
  • The entire process was great. The food was great, we could take a break when needed. The students we met were all wonderful, there was no limit to sitting down and talking to us.
  • I was very impressed with the quality of the candidates.
  • The event was very well organized; we’ll keep the schedule in mind and possibly bring more people for assistance with the interviews.

The panel comprised Paul Courtney of Courtney Agencies, Brent Peconi of DSV and Nicole Rozinbaum of ITN Logistics. They discussed the following questions from students:

  • What training and certification is in demand in the freight forwarding and transportation industry?
  • What should students do to present themselves professionally to employers in the SCM field?
  • What are the technologies or transferable skills employers see as the future areas of demand for SCM employment?

Andrea Bouska, Program Coordinator, Supply Chain and Logistics Placements, Continuing Studies at Langara College, said: “The career fair was geared towards the jobs in the field of student’s studies, so the event was attended by a large number of enrolled students as well as alumni. Students and alumni came professionally dressed with brushed résumés ready for interviews. The lineups were so long that some of the employers didn’t get a chance to interview everyone on the spot. We were glad to see this event at the grounds of Langara College.”