Employer Relations

Our Students are Eager to Meet You!

CALS Career Services supports over 2,800 students in their pursuit to learn, connect, and grow their career pathways. Our industry portfolio supports activity within all five of our named areas of study by providing event programs, College facilitation, and strategic approaches to introduce students to a wide range of opportunities!

During academic year 2022-2023, over 450 CALS students directly engaged in our industry programming, just one year into our relaunch of services.

Industry Relations within CALS Career Services

Career Treksexpand_more

Career Treks provide a unique opportunity to bring students on-site to fully experience the working environment with one of our trusted employers. These trips give students access to interact with team members, explore the physical space, and see company operations in action. Contact us at career@cals.wisc.edu to learn about potentially hosting UW-Madison students!

What students are saying about Career Treks:

  • It was “very informative while still being fun. Very welcoming and organized.”
  • “Loved it!”
  • “Very informative. Great experience for someone looking to understand/explore different fields.”

Connectorsexpand_more

Our industry connector series is a CALS Career Services Signature Event. We work with dedicated alumni, recruiters, and company employees to join us for themed networking nights. This event allows us to create an informal space for students to explore career paths, as well as self-evaluate their skills, passions, and knowledge in our aligned clusters. Reach out to career@cals.wisc.edu to learn more about meeting with our students at a Connector!

Employer Panel from Environment and Sustainability Connector

What students are saying about Connectors:

  • “It was very low stakes and I felt like I could be myself and ask questions without worrying.”
  • “It gave me the opportunity to see what jobs are available in the near future.”
  • The “informal aspect made talking to recruiters less intimidating.”

What employers are saying about Connectors:

“The casual atmosphere was really nice. I was consistently talking with students throughout the event. I had genuine, honest and even fun conversations with most of them (those who were interested in working in my field and those who were just curious). I think it would have been helpful to attend such an event when I was in their shoes.”

“The no-resume aspect of it was nice as it allowed us a chance to just talk to students instead of formally recruiting.”

“I thought it was a really unique model that hopefully allowed the students to feel a little more at ease than during a traditional career fair. I even talked with someone who had already applied for one of our positions so I was able to have a real conversation and answer questions she had.”

Spring/Fall Career & Internship Fairexpand_more

CALS Career Services is a planning member of the bi-annual Career & Internship Fair, the largest single-day fair that is open to all majors on campus. This event has included over 300 companies and over 3,400 students. This bi-annual event allows us to gather together as a campus community to support our shared employer portfolio.

In addition, CALS Career Services partners with additional career services units on campus, sponsoring pre-fair offerings such as the Career Fair Prep Night with employers. Ask us how you can maximize your visit with us during the Fair Week(s) by emailing us at career@cals.wisc.edu.

Handshakeexpand_more

CALS Career Services is a part of the University’s Handshake team that supports and maintains this platform for employers. Handshake is a one-stop shop for employers to register for Fairs, post jobs, schedule on-campus interviews, and connect with students.

New to Handshake? Visit the Employer Help Center for helpful visuals and step-by step assistance on getting started and maximizing the system. https://support.joinhandshake.com/hc/en-us/categories/202707307-Employer

Single Company Offeringsexpand_more

We are able to help you organize information sessions, employer skill workshops, and formal interview days. These can be offered both in-person and virtually. Contact us at career@cals.wisc.edu to explore the options that best fit your company needs!

What employers are saying about our partnerships:

“CALS was fantastic to recruit students for our summer internship and co-op programs this Fall. From the initial meeting it was clear they cared about our own company goals and ensuring our events would be a success-they helped ensure there were no logistical issues, high turnout due to their extensive marketing efforts, and productive sessions!”

Experiential Learningexpand_more

We are interested in introducing students to industry and your specific company through active learning. Reach out to us at career@cals.wisc.edu to explore possibilities of conducting case studies, simulations, competitions, and more!

Let’s Get Started!

Consultation

Let’s chat to develop a plan that meets your short and long term goals with our student population. During these meetings we can share information about our College and work together to form a partnership to onboard you in a career community. Contact us at career@cals.wisc.edu to get started!

2024-2025 CALS Career Events

CALS Career Kick-Off

  • Third week of September 2024

Fall Career & Internship Fair

  • Third week of September 2024, Kohl Center

Biotech Connector

  • September 24th, 2024, Wisconsin Institute of Discovery, 5-7:30pm

Food and Ag Connector

  • October 9th, 2024, Memorial Union-Great Hall, 5-7:30pm

Fall Employer Trek

Fall 2024 Environmental Federal Pathways Virtual Employer Panel

Environmental Connector

  • February 13th, 2025, Wisconsin Institute of Discovery, 5-7:30pm

Spring Career & Internship Fair

  • Mid-February, 2025

Spring Employer Trek

Employer Recruiting Policies/Best Practices

Employer Recruiting Policies

Go here to learn about Employer Recruiting Policies at UW-Madison.

What We Do

  • Educate you on relevant events you may qualify for to meet with our students
  • Develop a plan to accomplish your recruiting goals together
  • Help raise awareness for your hiring needs through organized strategy
  • Coach you through ways to best connect with the College
  • Work with alumni and employers to educate and help students explore career options
  • Deliver best practices on supporting interns and new employees

What We Will Not Do

  • Post roles on your behalf (please see our Handshake section above)
  • Recommend individual students for you
  • Provide individualized student resume books for you
  • Guarantee interns or job placements
  • Guarantee getting into a classroom
  • Build an internship program for you

If you are thinking of launching an internship program, please review these resources. We are happy to consult with you.

Consider consulting the following resources:

Did you know?

100%

Students surveyed would recommend an employer trek to a friend.

92%

Students surveyed learned something valuable at a networking Connector.

CALS Students’ Job Application Snapshot

Courtesy of Handshake as of August 2023

Below are a sample of companies that have participated in on-campus/virtual activities provided by CALS Career Services.

Career Services Team

Nate Doolin

Employer Relations Manager

nathan.doolin@wisc.edu

Kristina Vack

Director of CALS Career Services

vack@wisc.edu

Paige LaPoint

Career Services Manager

plapoint@wisc.edu

Office of Academic Affairs

116 Agricultural Hall
1450 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Office Hours: 7:45am – 4:30pm

For current & prospective student general inquiries:
Phone: 608.262.3003
Email: academicaffairs@cals.wisc.edu