The Career Services Job Fair gave over 60 businesses the opportunity to recruit Fresno State students. The two-day event was held in the Satellite Student Union.

The first day focused on business and liberal arts. The second day was centered on employment in the agriculture, engineering and science fields.

The Job Fair comes at time of fluctuating employment statistics. In the midst of this instability, students crowded the Satellite Student Union.

Morgan Huguet is a senior viticulture major who attended the event. He graduates next spring. He wanted to glimpse his job prospects within the wine industry. After speaking with two wine companies featured at Thursday’s fair, Huguet was very hopeful.

“They are looking for students,” Huguet said with excitement.

Panda Restaurant Group, best known for the Panda Express restaurant chain, was new to this year’s fair. Frank Mark, an area manager and Fresno State alumnus, spoke with enthusiasm about the opportunities offered by Panda.­ He has worked with the Panda Express chain for 12 years, initially as a kitchen and service team member. When he earned his business degree in 2011, he was promoted to management.

Mark mentioned four recent recruits out of Fresno State.

“The biggest reason they join is the opportunities. They have seen the opportunities,” Mark said.

Another food-oriented company present at the job fair was California Dairies Incorporated, a dairy processor that was looking to hire plant supervisor trainees and quality assurance technicians.­ Both positions require a degree in biological sciences.

The job fair also featured nonprofit organizations.­ One of these was American Conservation Experience, also known as ACE.­ This company is based in Santa Cruz.­ As an organization centered on environmental conservation, ACE works in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management, several land trusts and other conservation nonprofits.

ACE specialized in restoration of national parks and historic sites.­­ Employees can expect to physically labor while learning a variety of skills from chainsaw operation to ecological restoration.

Andrew Mumm, a recruiter with ACE, said the organization is funded through federal grants. Recently, it received an Americorp grant.­ The grant has allowed ACE to create 60, six-month paid positions, including housing.

According to Mumm, those employed with ACE often move on to positions in government agencies, other environmental organizations or they go on to graduate school.

“You leave with a lot of conflict resolution skills and leadership skills,” Mumm said.

Some companies present at the job fair were veterans to the event. One such company was Rain for Rent. This company operates across the nation.

Rain For Rent, based out of Bakersfield, builds liquid handling equipment for agriculture, construction and manufacturing.­ Recruiter Leo Bautista has been visiting the Fresno State job fair on behalf of Rain For Rent for the last five years.­ He said Rain For Rent has seen consistent increases in sales, unlike many companies in the industrial manufacturing sector.­­ He was recruiting for positions in mechanical engineering, sales and project management.

Miguel Aguilar, a senior majoring in civil engineering, has been interested in water resources and would like to innovate water purification systems. He was speaking with representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency.