Engineers in various disciplines and computer scientists are in high demand in today’s economy, and this week, the second-largest university in Wisconsin will be filled with representatives from some of the biggest corporations in the world that are looking to recruit tech talent.
On Feb. 28, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Engineering and Applied Science will hold its semiannual Industry Expo/Career Fair, where a spring semester record of 107, or more, companies will descend to recruit students for full-time jobs, co-ops and internships.
The list of companies to be present include Kohl’s, Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls, Rockwell Automation, Kohler, Direct Supply, Generac, Graef, Husco International, Master Lock, Modine Manufacturing, ABB Inc., WEC Energy Group, the parent company of We Energies, and software company Penrod.
“Ninety-one percent of our students have completed an internship or co-op placement before graduation,” said Juli Pickering, director of career services for UWM’s College of Engineering and Applied Science in a release from the university. “They are known for being ready to hit the ground running—ready, willing and able to work.”
Engineering disciplines include computer, biomedical, civil and environmental, electrical, industrial materials science and mechanical.
In 2019, UWM, which has about 26,000 students, launched its Connected Systems Institute, a learning and research hub focused on the industrial internet of things. The institute is a roughly 12,000-square-foot space that includes maker spaces, classrooms and networking labs. Eleven courses are scheduled for the institute.
Rockwell and Microsoft Corp. have donated a combined $3.2 million to the university to launch the institute. Upon gifting $1.5 million to the university, Microsoft president Brad Smith said UWM’s researchers and future graduates will play an intricate role in the global IIoT industry.
"We are very bullish on what we see here at UWM and what we see in Milwaukee, because if you look at where the world is going, and where technology and the economy are going, you’re just going to need more of what is being created here," Smith previously said.
