Where Employers and Students Connect
In today’s job market, establishing a professional network is vital to breaking through in any field. The Career Expo offers YCP students and alumni a chance to connect with potential employers face-to-face and make a great impression.
From an employer standpoint, gaining first access to qualified students about to enter the workforce gives you a competitive advantage. The interactive setting of the expo gives you a chance to inform students of career paths they may not have considered—and you might be surprised by the transferable skills of students from all academic majors!
Join Us March 18, 2026
M&T Bank Field House, Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center
Employer registration has closed for the March event, but we encourage employers to continue posting opportunities to Handshake as students search for employment throughout the year.
Student FAQs
Stand Out From the Crowd
Regardless of how early or far along you are in earning your degree, practicing professional networking conversations can help you strengthen your communication skills and prepare for future interactions and interviews.
With 100+ employer representatives expected at each event, you’ll get ample opportunity to learn about potential career paths and share your contact information with businesses looking for new candidates. So, whether you're just exploring your options, practicing professional interactions, or helping prevent your application from getting lost in a sea of résumés, there are so many benefits to attending YCP's Career Expo.
Meet With Career Development Staff
College is your time to forge the connections you need to land your dream job. Take advantage of every service and opportunity that comes your way—our Career Development staff is here to help you refine your résumé, practice interview skills, and nail your elevator pitch. These are tools you’ll take with you well beyond earning your diploma.
Attend a Career Expo Prep or Resumania Drop-In Session. You can also schedule a time that works best for you.
Prepare Independently
Take some time to prepare on your own, too. We recommend:
- Professional Attire - When you look great, you feel great. And that confidence shines through. Choose an outfit that is polished, professional, and puts your best foot forward.
- Research Employers Ahead of Time - Make a plan for which employers you’d like to prioritize and prepare questions informed by their online presence.
- Consider the Personal Side - Communication style and social dynamics are factors in the hiring process, too. Think about what you’re looking for in a work environment and what you’d like a potential manager to know about you personally.
Remember that you’re not alone in your journey from student to professional. Ask your friends, teachers, and staff for guidance and feedback along the way. Chances are, they remember being in your shoes.
Register for the Career Expo
Lastly, registering for the expo through your Handshake account is an important step as the date approaches.
The York College Career Expo is open to YCP students (of any year and major) and alumni only. Advance registration is highly recommended, and participants are required to check in prior to entry. Log in to your Handshake account to get started.
You’ll find an updated employer list on Handshake in the months leading up to the event. It’s a good idea to make a list of which representatives you’d like to speak with, but stay open minded and visit as many tables as you can during the event. You never know which conversations might spark your interest.
Employer FAQs
A Wide Variety of Companies and Organizations
The YCP Career Expo welcomes employers from a wide range of industries, locations, and sizes. Our Career Development team works hard to create a balanced mix of representatives, so some of the factors we take into consideration during the employer approval process include:
- Is the industry already adequately represented by competitors?
- Do our students' skills align with the needs of this employer?
Our goal is to ensure the opportunities at the expo are a good match for students and employers alike.
Where Employer Needs and Student Skillsets Align
When selecting employers for the expo, we typically focus more on the transferable skills of our students, rather than a strict alignment of academic programs. We find that most career paths are not necessarily linear, and many companies need professionals with skillsets that may not directly relate to a given industry. For example, a manufacturing company does require professionals with education backgrounds in supply chain or engineering—but they also hire marketers, accountants, and sometimes even hospitality staff.
For this reason, we encourage employers and students to keep an open mind about the opportunities that may emerge through conversations relating to skills and interests.
