Employers find what they need and more at Northern Career Fair

A myriad of employers filled Armory Gymnausium at Montana State University-Northern Monday and all seemed pleased with the student turnout.

About 36 employers came from across the nation Monday morning and were looking to fulfill open job positions or internships.

Ethan Partch and Brandy Tannahill, representatives for RD4Ag, said the career fair was going well for them and they received a lot of interest from students in Northern's College of Technical Sciences. Both Partch and Tannahill are Northern alumni.

"We decided it would be good to recruit from the program we're from," Tannahill said.

RD4Ag was founded in 1982 and is an independent, contract agriculture research organization, Partch said.

"It's similar to what's done at the Northern Ag Research Center here, but on a private basis," Tannahill added. "Our trials that we conduct are done typically for industry and are protected by non-disclosure agreement."

The Northern Agricultural Research Center at Fort Assinniboine southwest of Havre is part of the Montana State University College of Agriculture. It has been doing agricultural research since it was established by the Bozeman college in 1915.

Tannahill added the type of internships they are offering are well-suited for the ag operations technology program at Northern. Tannahill also said this was the first time that RD4Ag has attended the Career Fair, but they would definitely consider coming back again.

Chet Garrison of Titan Machinery said they had a lot of foot traffic at the Career Fair and met some interesting students. Garrison said they were previously in Bozeman for a career fair at Montana State University and that was a success for them as well.

Garrison said they would absolutely come back to Northern again and were talking with Mary Heller, director of the career center and industry relations, about coming back in November and doing an information session.

Titan Machinery is a full-service agriculture and construction equipment dealership and, Garrison said, are "the largest Case, Case International and New Holland Dealership in North America."

Marty Haflinger and Linda Boatman of Torgerson's said the career was going well for them.

Haflinger said Torgerson's has been sending representatives to the Northern career fair for years.

"We get a lot of student interest," he added. "We end up with a lot of good technicians."

"I like it because it's like a one-stop shop," Boatman said. "I can come here and recruit for all of our locations across Montana. I know that the quality coming out is very good."

Torgerson's was founded in 1912 in Ethridge, Montana and is an ag equipment dealership and also deals in production agriculture.

Craig Miller of BNSF Railway said they received a lot of interest at the career fair as well.

Miller said the company has regularly attended the career fair and likes the quality they get from Northern diesel graduates.

"The diesel program here is excellent," he said. "It's always nice to find good young recruits coming out of diesel with that four-year degree."

BNSF Railways has been in business for 160 years and has acquired almost 400 different railroad lines in that time.

Bryce Greg of Fairbanks-Morse said the career fair was very beneficial for the company.

"It's been pretty good," he said. "We're double-booked all afternoon for interviews. I should plan another day here."

Greg said he was a graduate of Northern and Fairbanks-Morse recruited from Northern heavily in the 1990s. Greg added he likes the students and faculty and likes that the company hires good, quality students. He also said most graduates they hire as technicians and "we put them right to work".

Fairbanks-Morse has been in business for 125 years and is part of Enpro Industries. The company specializes in engines and power systems. Greg said one of their main jobs is building diesel engines for the U.S. Navy.