Career Services Hosts a Government and Public Service Panel

UWG Career Services hosted a Government and Public Service Panel on April 4 from 4-6 p.m. The discussion took place in the Nursing Building, Room 115, followed by a networking session in Room 112.  

        Panelists included careered professionals from the Georgia Department of Human Services, the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, the Department of Natural Resources, Carroll County CASA, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office,  the UWG Police Department, Communities In Schools,  the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and the CIA. 

        These veterans of government and public service work shared their knowledge and advice from years of experience in the field to students looking to follow similar paths. Stay relevant, stay flexible and work hard – an overall theme that remained constant throughout the discussion. Students were reminded to keep their skills current, their education relevant and to stay aware of change. Panelists also stressed the importance of volunteer work and internships for college students entering a competitive job market.  

        “I wanted to bring together different employers to show students that there are many things they can do with their major,” said Jasmine Posey, Career Counselor for UWG Career Services and Moderator to the panel discussion. “I wanted to show College of Social Science students that there are more opportunities out there other than to become a lawyer, a psychologist, or a police officer. Within each one of those industries there are specialized fields that you can apply your degree in. We have a wide range of panelists, from the local government to the CIA, to show some of the business and STEM students that there are other jobs out there for them as well.” 

        Career Services hosts these types of events throughout the school year to help students achieve their goals after graduation – for students of all majors. 

        “Every student is unique and has individual goals,” said Posey. “When it comes to how you want to apply your major – it starts with you. When it comes to what you want to do and how you want to apply your major you have to answer a few questions about yourself. Who are you? What do you want to achieve? How do you want to help people? When you answer those questions and identify your goals your future is expanded. Then the skills that you have gained in your field can translate into a different area that you may not have thought about before.” 

        Although this particular event was geared to students leaning toward careers in government and public service, the lessons can be applied throughout – stay focused, work hard and network. These are keys to success in any field. Career Services hosts events such as these panels, career fairs, on-campus recruiting and information sessions throughout the year to help students connect with potential employers.