Going to college is expensive and for many students, having a part-time job is necessary. But, having a job can serve more purposes than simply paying the bills. Whether students are seeking to make extra cash, build their professional skills or just looking for friends, an on-campus job is an accessible way for students to enrich their lives and jumpstart their careers.
“Working on campus gives students the opportunity to strengthen their soft skills, which are needed in professional roles. These skills take time to grow, so starting early is a great idea,” said Bethany Anich, career counselor at the Career Center.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) conducted a survey to see what employers seek on a college graduate’s resume and the top three skills were found to be problem-solving, the ability to work in a team and written communication skills.
“From a professional perspective, an on-campus job gives students the chance to practice and develop these desirable skills,” Anich said.
Besides professional enrichment, an on-campus job is practical due to its convenience. Whether students live on campus or commute, having a job at the same location as their classes makes it easier and more attractive than off-campus jobs. Student worker positions are also more flexible, respecting class times and personal schedules.
“An on-campus job can build you up socially as well. As you work with your team, you’ll have to learn interpersonal communication and collaboration skills to produce results. While doing this, you are growing your relationships and network,” Anich added. “The unique side of working on-campus is that you are often working with some faculty or staff you already know. Growing these relationships can help you to increase your knowledge of the future industry you want to pursue while giving you the opportunity to seek mentorship.”
CBU is home to various on-campus positions that can provide these benefits. From the library to Chick-fil-A to Athletics, virtually every area of campus offers positions to students.
“The best way to locate all of them is to log in to your Handshake account and search the on-campus job page,” Anich said.
Ava Cameron, a sophomore graphic design major, works for Conferences and Events as an events assistant. Her favorite part of her job is the community and physical activity involved.
“I like the community and getting to work with people. I also really like being able to move and not be sitting in one place the whole time,” Cameron said. “There are also many benefits to working on campus, like getting to work and having class the same day seamlessly, CBU departments working around your class schedule, and getting to work with friends. I have made tons of friends and grown so much as a person since I started this job. It’s been so much fun.”
Cameron advocated for the role.
“I would definitely recommend students to apply for this job. It’s flexible, team-driven, and cool to get to see just how much work and effort it takes for an event to happen.”
Besides Conferences and Events, other departments and services hiring are the Recreation Center, ITS, Community Life, Disability Services and Provider.
Jonah Baima, sophomore pre-radiologic sciences major, is the director of teams for fan engagement with the CBU CRAZIES.
“My favorite part about the job is creating an exciting environment for students by bringing energy and maintaining traditions,” Baima said. “Being on campus, work is a short distance from classes and dorms, so it’s easy to build a work schedule that fits into your day. It also means you get to work with other students and build relationships with your peers. I have made so many friends through my job. I would highly recommend applying for the CRAZIE crew if you’ve got the energy and aren’t afraid of embarrassing yourself a little bit.”
Anich advises students looking for on-campus jobs to seek help at the Career Center.
“If you need help on your resume or aren’t sure how to start, we’re happy to guide you,” Anich said. “We can also coach you through popular interview questions through our mock interview appointment, so you feel confident going into the real thing. Regardless of whether you’re seeking an on-campus job or not, connecting with the Career Center early can jumpstart your career and minimize the stress that can come with searching for a job.”
Earlier this year, MetroLink presented a system with early earthquake warning technology that is able to automatically alter trains and apply brakes for a safe and quick slowing and stopping in the event of an earthquake. This system is called ShakeAlert and it will be used to help reduce injuries.
The ShakeAlert early warning system additionally aims to deliver alerts quickly to the public so that people will know seconds before shaking begins. Ideally, the system can help save lives and property and reduce the impact of an earthquake.
This year, MetroLink got the chance to utilize this new technology during this year’s Great ShakeOut on Oct. 19. The system successfully slowed MetroLink-owned tracks at 10:19 a.m, according to a release from MetroLink.
When talking about earthquake safety, Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, professor of civil engineering and construction management, explained the improvements of this new technology.
“Since earthquakes can occur without any warning signs and we cannot forecast seismic activities, the best way to prevent damage and loss to our infrastructure is to prepare for the damage by enhancing the seismic performance of buildings and structures through design and retrofits,” Bai said. “Additionally, we have this kind of early warning system to minimize the consequences, which includes evacuating people to safer locations, cutting off power lines to avoid fires, and slowing down or stopping the rail system to prevent crashes.”
Safety is one of the top concerns for the public during the event of an earthquake. Grant Dupuy, senior engineering major, expressed his concerns for people’s safety on trains.
“Since trains are full of people and can’t stop in an instant, anything that gives them more time to respond allows for higher safety of the passengers,” Dupuy said.
While there is no way to predict when an earthquake will occur, there at least new potential solutions, such as speed reductions. Practicing using the ShakeAlert during the Great ShakeOut is a way to ensure that the technology works efficiently, which allows residents of California to feel safer when traveling by train.
Bai elaborated on the advantages of early earthquake detection and what we can learn from other safety systems.
“A similar early warning system to detect seismic activities has been used for decades in Japan for high-speed rail systems,” Bai said. “This type of technology, using an early warning system, may not be the only way to protect civilians. However, I believe that this new technology can help reduce the consequences of potential earthquakes in California.”
Alyssa Lockwood, freshman biomedical sciences major, has used trains as transportation frequently in California to get to cities like Bakersfield. Lockwood is from out of state, so she said hearing about the new safety feature in the event of an earthquake helped calm her nerves, as she is not used to earthquakes that California experiences.
“This personally makes me feel more safer because I understand the [changes] being made in order to enhance the safety of passengers during an earthquake,” Lockwood said.
The ShakeAlert technology, especially when combined with regular safety drills and refreshers, can help minimize the amount of destruction during earthquakes. It is a step in the right direction for advancing the ways in which people and structures are able to be protected before and during emergencies.
