At Purdue, career readiness isn’t just built in classrooms. For many Boilermakers, a campus job with Dining & Culinary is the first step toward building the skills employers look for.
Dining & Culinary employs approximately 1,000 students in roles such as customer service, management, human resources and marketing. Through these opportunities, students develop skills in time management, problem-solving, conflict resolution, leadership and supervision that can translate to any career.
Boilermakers can gain management experience by applying for student manager jobs. Student managers maintain schedules, train and evaluate student employees, host regular meetings, and offer oversight and assistance throughout each operation. Many managers have implemented recognition programs and team-building activities that build camaraderie among their staff.
Jobs in areas such as Central Hiring allow students to gain experience in human resources. At the recommendation of student hiring managers, Dining & Culinary purchased an online software tool used to schedule interviews and onboarding events. Student hiring managers also provide input into hiring processes and assist in the hiring of students and professional staff.
Brand ambassadors serve as representatives for Dining & Culinary and enhance marketing efforts through the management of social media channels. Brand ambassadors plan, curate, schedule and post content that reaches approximately 5,500 followers on Instagram and over 4,000 followers on Facebook. Numerous students have also gained experience in professional writing and photography through the program.
Boilermaker ingenuity is often applied through student employment. For example, a former student manager in Hillenbrand Dining Court repurposed suction nozzles from discarded soda bags to clean beverage lines during deep cleans. Some students might even find their creations on a menu, such as a pesto bowl that proved to be a popular dish. Many student managers have also developed manuals and implemented new processes that make an impact long after they graduate.
Purdue students can even begin preparing for their careers before they set foot in a classroom by participating in Jumpstart. Students who participate in the program move in a week before orientation programs begin to learn specific job tasks, participate in team-building activities and get to know their peers. Participants receive tips from student mentors about how to balance work and class while learning about resources that can help them succeed on campus. This year 73 Boilermakers participated in Jumpstart.
Wherever their career leads, student employees can leave Dining & Culinary with skills they can use.