Ferrum hosted its semester career and internship fair in Franklin Hall on March 13 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. with a turnout in the hundreds.

There were around 250 people who signed up for attending the fair, but it is believed to be closer to 300 people who stopped by in between classes, with opportunities for students to make connections with people in various careers that match with their majors and degrees.

The fair also gave students the opportunity to put their name out into the world and actually get the opportunity to learn essential skills within each industry.

“The school helped me (get an internship). I needed extra credit to be able to graduate on time, so they were both courtesy of Dr. Tim Daniels setting it up to make sure it fits my degree,” said Raylee Wilson a senior studying history and religion.

With majors such as education, there is an expectation that students will be to get internships within their first semester of being at Ferrum.

“All teacher education students participate in internships as part of their coursework. The only reason a student might be delayed in starting an internship is if they have not yet met the course prerequisites or other program requirements. Otherwise, all eligible students begin their internships as scheduled,” said Education Professor Ashley Atkinson.

Chop Grosvenor, sophomore,  was able to get an internship at Franklin County High School in both a history and a Spanish classroom.

“My internship was through the school, you had to pay for the background check, then if you passed you filled out a form of which school you wanted to go to, if you needed a ride, and what grade level you hoped to get. Then they would find a teacher for you,” she said.

There are some students who were offered internships outside of the school and actually found such opportunities at the fair.

“I just handed them my resume, and they offered me an internship,” said Chet Johnson, a senior studying social work.

There were various booths at the event, with several being to promote first responders. One of the ways they promote themselves and attempt to let people understand what they would be getting into is to offer ride-along opportunities with them. This allows people to see what a day in the life of a firefighter would be like.

“We do not offer internships; we are trying to recruit people to the cause,” said one of the workers.

The career fair helps people think about what they want to do, especially with the wide selection of career and internship opportunities throughout the convention.