With a career development background from Yale University and over 20 years of coaching STEM students, John Bau has an impressive track record. Now, he also holds the unique role of being the only career professional in the state who sits in an engineering school, reporting directly to the Dean.
“Quinnipiac University is unique in that while we do have a central career centre – the Career and Experiential Learning Lab – there is also dedicated in-school career development assistance,” he says.
The centre partners with industry giants and employers and hosts big events like the Connecticut Manufacturing, Engineering & Technology Career Fair. Through these partners, undergraduate students can participate in year-long, team-based capstone projects. These are sponsored by the companies and provide students with practical experience in solving real-world problems.
Bau also leads ENR 395, the school’s compulsory Professional Development Seminar for undergraduates. Under his guidance, students master resume writing, professional social media and communications skills, job/internship search techniques, and interview preparation.
With Bau’s help, the transition from academic to professional life is smooth. He helps both local and international students build professional networks, communicating and connecting with recruiters and hiring managers alike.
“Our students get to tackle real-world problems in real-time in the same sort of group structure that they’ll encounter in their jobs after college,” says Bau. “We also have industry advisory boards at both the school and programme level to help make sure our efforts are meeting the needs of a highly-trained technical workforce.”