More than 100 MTSU Department of Engineering Technology students attending a career fair on campus noted the increase in companies and organizations wanting to hire new employees from a previous fair.

Eighteen companies participated in the six-hour fair held Wednesday (Sept. 26) in the Cantrell Hall of the Tom H. Jackson Building.

Nathanael Blankenship (left), a junior in mechatronics engineering from Jackson, Tenn., talks with Han Fan, a technical recruiter with Teletracking Technologies as other engineering technology students attend the department career fair Sept. 26 in the Tom H. Jackson Building. Students networked with recruiters from potential employers during the six-hour event. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

Joining forces with the Career Development Center, many departments conduct career fairs to enhance their students’ chances of landing full-time jobs or internships with the companies.

Frito Lay in Fayetteville, Tennessee, Nissan, Navy recruiters from Nashville, Smyrna, Tennessee-based Schneider Electric, Murfreesboro Electric and Franklin, Tennessee-based Spring Automation were among the participating companies.

A number of company’s represented included recent MTSU alumni.

Nathanael Blankenship, 20, a junior mechatronics engineering major, recognized the number of companies more than doubled from 2017.

“It’s encouraging to see companies come out and show interest. We had half this number last year,” Blankenship said.

As for the growing mechatronics program’s ability to be attractive to the companies, Blankenship said he felt “they were not looking specifically for mechatronics students, but all of our students have a great deal to offer.”

Brandon Soundara, left, an MTSU junior majoring in mechatronics engineering, talks with Spring Automation representatives Austin Studebaker, second from left, Maryam Sedhom, April Holder Sept. 26 at the Department of Engineering Technology Career Fair, held in the Tom H. Jackson Building. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering that includes a combination of systems, mechanical, electrical, telecommunications, control and computer engineering. MTSU just obtained full accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc.

Another mechatronics major, junior Ashraf Yaseen, 21, a junior from Jordan originally and now living in Murfreesboro, said he was “looking to get an internship for (next) spring and summer” in order to move out of the classroom and “get more hands-on things … real life.”

At MTSU, Yaseen works as a teaching assistant and tutor for engineering technology. He also works for Advance Auto Salvage.

Recent MTSU graduate Brandon Wright, who is a buyer in the Nissan purchasing department, told Isaiah Berman, 20, a mechatronics major from Lebanon, Tennessee, companies “want to know your communications skills, your ability to network, school projects, keywords on the resume” (for recruiters and hiring managers to quickly identify top candidates) and more.

MTSU has more than 300 combined undergraduate and graduate programs. Engineering technology is one of 11 MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)

Mina Mouse, right, an MTSU senior in mechatronics engineering, listens to Jeff Buck, vice president of engineering with Automationnth, Sept. 26 during the Department of Engineering Technology Career Fair in the Tom H. Jackson Building. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)

MTSU junior mechatronics major Veronica Lotfy, right, talks with representatives from Aerotek Andrew Kerstins, left, and Peyton Loober during the Engineering Technology Career Fair held Sept. 26 in the Tom H. Jackson Building. (MTSU photo by Kimi Conro)