Approximately 275 companies and government agencies have signed on for this week's 2015 Engineering Expo, making the annual job/internship fair the largest in recent memory hosted by the Student Engineers’ Council at Virginia Tech.

The expo will be held Sept 15-16 at the Squires Student Center and Owens Hall’s banquet hall to accommodate the “huge expansion” of attendees, said Andrew Trad of Longwood Florida, a senior in the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering who is serving as expo chairman.

Roughly 4,000 engineering undergraduate and graduate students are expected to meet with such well-known international firms as Rolls Royce, Honeywell, SpaceX, and Microsoft. Smaller companies, along with numerous federal agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Army, will also attend.

The two-day event takes place each day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students are invited to walk through the exhibits, many of which include videos, products, promotional items, and demonstrations from the hiring company. A third day, Sept. 17, is set aside for one-on-one interviews at  Cassell Coliseum.

“Each year the engineering expo helps hundreds of students not only find internships for the following summer, but also full time offers,” said Trad, who has held support roles with the expo in past years. “My goal for this year’s event has been to bring as many of the best possible companies for our students to be able to interact with.”

A full listing of firms at this year’s expo can be found at the council’s website, which includes a search option. Guidebooks are available for students prior to the expo, each containing employer information such as desired skills.

“Drew has done an exemplary job. He has illustrated strong management skills that has allowed the Student Engineers’ Council to host one of the largest career fairs to date,” said Lynn Nystrom, director of news and external relations for the Virginia Tech College of Engineering and long-time faculty adviser to the council. “Drew has worked hard all summer to make this career fair a success for the College of Engineering’s students. He and the SEC, especially the executive members, realize the importance of bringing these companies to campus to recruit our highly qualified engineering students.”

The annual expo is an extension of the self-funded Student Engineers’ Council’s mission to promote the personal and professional development of student engineers at Virginia Tech by helping them to define career goals, pursue career opportunities, and develop leadership skills, according to the group’s website.

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