On Oct. 1, students at the Haverhill campus had the privilege of attending the annual Career Fair. 

This event featured a diverse array of employers from sectors such as health care, education, business, and technology, providing students with the chance to explore various career paths. 

Students interested in fields like health care or business were able to gather essential information about the qualifications and skills required for success.

One attendee, Tristan “TJ” Taylor, shared their experience at the fair. 

Although Taylor did not find direct alignment with their career aspirations, they discovered unexpected value in their interactions. 

“Enterprise Bank provided a wealth of useful information,” Taylor remarked. 

“Even though no company directly matched my career interests, their representative offered extensive insights into communications roles available at companies like Enterprise Bank.”

The fair allowed students to engage with employers and gain insights into the current job market. 

While the event did not fully meet Taylor’s expectations regarding job opportunities in their major, they appreciated the guidance received. 

“Most representatives were approachable and offered advice on how to break into the communications field,” Taylor explained.

Despite the limited direct relevance to their field of study, Taylor found new areas of interest they had not initially considered. 

“Enterprise Bank piqued my interest, especially when their representative discussed their communications department,” Taylor shared.

Reflecting on the experience, Taylor emphasized the importance of maintaining an open mind during events like the Career Fair. 

“The key takeaway is that some companies may not initially seem relevant to your interests, but they might offer unexpected opportunities. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep all doors open when considering future prospects,” they concluded.

While not every student left with a clear career path, the Career Fair succeeded in providing valuable networking opportunities and underscoring the importance of adaptability in the job search process. 

Through these interactions, many students gained new perspectives on how to approach their career goals.

Northern Essex Community College’s Haverhill Campus is a hub of academic and social activity, but for students with disabilities, navigating its spaces can sometimes present unexpected challenges. 

While efforts are made to ensure accessibility, some students and faculty say recent incidents have highlighted the need for better communication and proactive measures.

DJ Rosado, a student who uses a wheelchair to get around at NECC, shared his experiences with accessibility on the campus, emphasizing both positives and areas for improvement. 

“My experience with accessibility on the campus is OK, but there are times when I feel like they should’ve done stuff sooner,” Rosado remarked.  

Rosado went on to say, he recounted an incident where he was stuck in an elevator, the elevator just stopped working.  This underscores the need of how important it is for the elevators to work properly and when concerns are reported, that timely assistance and support from campus facilities are addressed.  

Rosado’s concerns extend beyond isolated incidents. “Last year, when I was taking two theater classes, they  wanted to fix the elevator and without prior warning, they disrupted me in class to inform me that they would be shutting the elevator down and I had to leave the class.  It upsets me because I wasn’t given advanced warning, and I lost valuable class time,” Rosado said. The lack of communication left him and his peers feeling frustrated and inconvenienced.  I myself rely on the use of elevators for accessibility. The elevators in the C building and the Student Center are unreliable and at times hinder my ability to get to class.  

My class had to be moved in the fall of 2023,  because of the elevator not working, and I didn’t get notified until the last minute. So you can see that these issues have been going on for a while. Rosado and my experience further emphasizes the critical need for improved facilities,  communication, and proactive measures to address accessibility concerns on campus. Northern Essex Community College is a great school with many great faculty members that want to see all students succeed.  By fostering collaboration between students, faculty, and administration, we can continue to make NECC a campus environment that prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity.