Meet & Greet at UH Hilo: Internship fair sparks career connections for students and local employers
Students and employers made valuable connections at the internship fair, designed to launch careers and strengthen Hawaiʻi Island’s workforce.
Nearly 50 University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo students gathered on Sept. 10 for an exclusive networking event connecting them with local employers offering internships and career opportunities on Hawaiʻi Island. The internship fair held at the Campus Center Plaza allowed the students and employers to make valuable connections designed to launch careers and strengthen Hawaiʻi Island’s workforce.
The event was sponsored by the Kīpapa I Ke Ala:Center for Career Advancement and emphasized career pathways, networking and professional growth. Students from across UH Hilo attended to explore openings, meet industry partners, and learn how internships could help them gain workplace experience or transition into full-time employment.
“The internship fair offered a variety of internship opportunities for us to explore,” says Pohoku Roby, a student at UH Hilo. “It provided valuable networking tools to support our career growth.”
For employers, the event offered a chance to recruit and invest in future professionals.
“It was great to attend the event today,” says Napua Adviento from the Hawaiʻi Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. “We have opportunities, and we feel like we made some good connections with students.”
Hilo Career Services Director Marcy Martinez underscored the importance of experiences that broaden students’ perspectives.
“Students should be able to utilize their degree, no matter what field or employment opportunity they pursue,” she says. “They should be able to navigate the world as it changes, use their education, skills and experience, so they can adapt as their careers change. Opportunities like internships and other experiential learning are great ways to learn about interests and opportunities available. Those same events can weed out the ones that are not a good fit for them.”
Raynell Espaniola, internship and experiential learning coordinator, says internship fairs offer students a bridge between classroom learning and real-world application.
“By hosting these events on our campus, we make these opportunities more accessible and student-centered, ensuring that every student has the chance to engage directly with potential employers,” she says.
The event reflects UH’s broader commitment to workforce development, a core pillar of the UH System’s Strategic Plan.
