Equine career fair to help students prepare for internships, workforce

The University of Kentucky Equine Initiative will hold a career fair from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 in Seay Auditorium in the Agricultural Science North building on the UK campus.

The Equine Initiative student working group and new internship coordinator, Elizabeth LaBonty, will co-host the event, which is designed to help equine students prepare for a career in the horse industry. The event is not limited to UK students; all students with an equine interest are invited to participate.

"The career fair will be an excellent opportunity for students to connect with local employers in the equine industry," LaBonty said. "They will be able to walk away with a clear picture of how to prepare for, apply to and ultimately obtain the career of their choice."

The fair will feature an internship panel, three career-focused sessions and speakers from multiple facets of the equine industry. The panel will consist of both students and coordinators from current, well-established internship programs. The three featured programs are Darley Flying Start, Kentucky Equine Management Internship Program and the Kentucky Equine Research Internship.

The three 30-minute sessions following the panel will run simultaneously from 5:30 to 7 p.m. One session will cover ways to plan ahead for a career in the equine industry. The presenter will talk about ways to get involved in the industry area in which one is interested, what kind of job experience is best suited for that role and how to prepare for a career in the industry. LaBonty will host another session about creating professional résumés and cover letters, as well as the benefits of writing thank you notes to perspective employers after an interview or internship. The final session will focus on professional interview skills and techniques. With the diverse job opportunities in the equine industry, students commonly are confronted with a variety of interview settings and this session will feature ways to adapt to those changes.

Following the sessions, students will then have an opportunity to visit with participating companies and organizations to ask questions they may have about potential job or internship opportunities.

"We organized this to meet the needs of students who have a particular interest in the equine Industry and showcase the potential of our local students to employers," said Emily Plant, Equine Initiative student working group member. "The format of a combination of short lectures and traditional job fair format will educate the students on the important topics relevant to their career or internship search and beyond."

Some of the companies and organizations that have verified their participation include the Kentucky Equine Education Project, Darley Flying Start, KEMI, Kentucky Equine Research Internship, The Kentucky Horse Park, Makers Mark Secretariat Center, Old Friends, BloodHorse Magazine, Equestrian Land Conservation Resource, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Kentucky Horse Council and Hagyard Medical Institute. Many breed and professional organizations will provide informational materials and contact information.

Students and potential employers who would like more information on the career fair may contact Savannah Craddock at 859-257-2226 or e-mail savy@uky.edu or view the flyer online. More information about the Equine Initiative can be found at http://www.ag.uky.edu/equine.

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