The outcomes and impact of Michigan Technological University's Career Fair prove that MTU's future-forward students are recruiters' top picks.
Michigan Tech's 2025 Fall Career Fair Forged by Nucor is the keystone species of the University's robust career development ecosystem. More than just a job fair, the event directly contributes to the University's exceptional employment outcomes — including a record career placement rate and a median early career salary of $82,400 — and has become a powerful, influential factor in student success.
This year's Career Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Student Development Complex. As hundreds of companies and thousands of recruiters descend upon the SDC this week, they expect and look forward to an event that consistently delivers on its promise to connect industry needs with top-tier talent.
"The 2025 Fall Career Fair is a powerful testament to the value of a Michigan Tech education," said Cody Kangas, Michigan Tech's executive director for career services. "It's an event where a student's hard work is validated by high demand from the marketplace, proving that the University's tradition of hands-on, purpose-driven learning is the most direct path to a successful and impactful career."
Preparing Leaders for Tomorrow's Work
This fall, the University continued its momentum by welcoming a large incoming class of first-year students with record academic quality, including an average high school GPA of 3.86 — the highest in University history. This trend reflects both the rising demand for a Tech degree and the University's commitment to preparing graduates for success in high-demand fields.
With the increasing presence of digitalization and artificial intelligence in the workplace — and persistent discussions about the future of work on a global scale — Michigan Tech students are uniquely positioned to lead. Huskies graduate with the skills to combine the speed and efficiency of AI with the distinctly human strengths of oversight, ingenuity and collaboration.
"AI is neither eliminating prospective jobs for our students nor reducing employers' demand for our graduates; it is merely changing the types of jobs that are available," said Jim Desrochers, director of employer relations in Career Services. "Career Fair is the platform where future-focused employers and our future-ready students meet, creating a competitive edge for both."
Alyssa Tripp, a Michigan Tech senior and software engineering major, had applied to software company Creative Mines for a summer internship experience prior to last year's Fall Career Fair. She used the event to build a stronger connection with the potential employer, and ultimately secured a co-op experience with the company for summer 2025.
"During my co-op experience, I worked with real-world clients to build React web applications," said Tripp. "I met with stakeholders, demoed my own code and learned industry standards. The coolest thing to me was that all of the code I was writing was actually going out into the real world and being used by real users as soon as the next day. It was awesome to get real-time feedback like that and know that the things I was doing had an actual effect on users."
"I have grown in confidence in my skills exponentially, especially in a major like software engineering, where most people live and breathe coding. After my summer experience, I now am confident in my knowledge of full-stack industry standards and know I am qualified for most web development jobs."
Building Skills, Building Futures
Career Fair is the centerpiece of Career Fest, an extensive series of workshops, resume reviews and networking sessions designed to develop students' confidence and skills. The goal? Helping Huskies make meaningful connections that go far beyond a simple resume drop.
For many students, those connections translate directly into opportunities. Cooper Lieuwen, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, first talked to recruiters from Georgia-Pacific during Career Fest and Career Fair events. The conversations ultimately led to a co-op experience with the company, and the co-op itself has helped him hone both hard and soft skills.
"So far, one of the best parts of my co-op experience has been the early career/intern events organized across the company," said Lieuwen. "I've had the opportunity to participate in tours of different facilities and speak with other employees in a variety of roles and at different stages of their careers. These events also included team cookouts and volleyball matches, which were great for networking and building connections within the engineering group. It's been exciting to see the many different job opportunities within the company and to meet people with diverse experiences!"
Alumni echo Lieuwen's message. Cody Woodbury '20, a process engineer at Koppers, offered further insight and advice for job-seeking Huskies: "Company culture is huge. Find a company that values its employees and community. Transparency, strong communication, and a drive for innovation are all important. Companies like Koppers stand out by providing engaging positions, real-world projects, and a supportive culture. Being able to work on functional projects that have a real impact is something I really appreciate and has gone a long way in molding my educational and career experiences."
Michigan Technological University is an R1 public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
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