Employer Visits

Each year, the ETC is delighted to welcome various companies throughout the industry to visit us in Pittsburgh.  Below, Susan Timko, our Director of Career Services reflects on the partnership between employers and the ETC.

“Do you have the summer off?”  That is a question I get very often during spring semester at the ETC.  “Well, I take time off, but I will also be in during the summer” is my typical response.  Summers at the ETC are special to me.  It’s a time I get to reconnect with a very important group of people, the employers who recruit ETC students.

The recruitment cycle for employers starts with summer planning.  It’s during these months that they book their visits to the ETC, plan their tech talks, and start to look at what positions they need to fill for the upcoming year.  In addition, this is the time new companies discover and learn about the ETC and add it to their list of targeted schools.

The list of employers who recruit at the ETC is dynamic.  There are those we enjoy seeing every year such as Electronic Arts, Blizzard, Riot Games, Activision, Cortina, Apple, Schell Games, 2K, and Facebook.  Other companies have had a long relationship with us, but are visiting for the first time this year including Pixar and Netease.  The mix of companies comes from various industries and students enjoy learning about organizations they’ve loved for years, as well as new ones.

Company visit days have a special energy at the ETC.  The companies will curate a relevant group of people to visit and share information.  During their visit to the ETC, we plan for a full day which gives the employers a 360-degree view of the ETC and its people.  Time is spent with faculty to review curriculum, with students during projects visits and office hours, and with staff to learn about all the different employment opportunities available to our students.  They get to see our unique building and learn about the rich history of the program.  The day is capstoned with a talk that gives the company a platform to talk about new technology, challenges and solutions, and about their company values.  Students have an opportunity to ask questions both in a group setting and individually.  Last, it gives students a chance to build their network.

To help students make the most of these connections, skill building with resumes, cover letters, portfolios, interviewing, and networking is provided.  The goal is to make an encounter between a student and employer a mutually beneficial one with both sides having a good understanding of each other.

We hope you follow the ETC on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram  to watch as companies visit the ETC throughout the year.

ETC alumni Roy Roganti (17) (l) and Yang Zhou (17) (c) were part of Apple’s Q & A session in September. Opening slide of Riot Game’s visit to the ETC in September. The company is a frequent visitor to the ETC and a popular seminar for the students.

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