Career Education Day at RIT Croatia: The Power of Networking with Future Employers

Career Education Day is one of the most important annual events at RIT Croatia. This international campus of the renowned US private university Rochester Institute of Technology is focused on adequately preparing its students for the business world.

The transition from an American high school to an American college in Croatia was easy

“Moving to Zagreb and attending RIT Croatia was truly the best decision that I have made in regards to my studies”, says senior student Angela Madjer, an American from Chicago who came to Croatia to study the US programs at RIT Croatia. “I believe that for the field of studies that I wanted to pursue, International Business, the program that is provided at Zagreb campus is truly the best one that exists. Not only am I able to study in a beautiful country like Croatia, but I am also given the opportunity to study at other global campuses that RIT has. With great facilities in Zagreb and faculty members that are experts in the courses they teach, this has allowed me to be even more passionate about my undergraduate studies. The transition from an American high school to an American college in Croatia was quite easy. I was able to easily adapt to the Croatian culture, which I absolutely love, and the program suited me perfectly”, says Angela.

Career-oriented education: more than 350 years of co-ops completed in more than 3,500 companies!

Known for career-oriented education and top quality US academic programs, RIT Croatia provides its students with numerous opportunities to gain and develop practical knowledge. This helps them put what they learn in the classroom – into practice. Co-ops and internships are an integral part of the learning experience here, just as experiential learning. Each RIT Croatia student undergoes 800-1,200 hours (approx. 6 months) of mandatory co-ops during the 4 years of study. And the co-ops need to be linked with the industry and the field of the student’s study. When you take into account all RIT Croatia alumni and their completed co-op hours over the past 20 years – more than 350 years of co-ops were completed in more than 3,500 companies! With this approach and focus on applied knowledge, it is no wonder that RIT students find jobs even before they graduate!

Angela agrees on this and adds, “I believe that RIT gives its students a great benefit that places them at a higher rank when they are done with college due to their co-op program. This program makes it mandatory for students to have experience in their field of study by the time they receive their diploma. Being a senior, this has even made classes more interactive by using my personal experience and connecting it with material that was used in lectures.”

In order to facilitate this, RIT Croatia’s Career Services office helps students plan and build their careers and make contacts with potential employers, and it assists them in finding co-op placements. So, among other things, for the past 18 years this US college has been organizing a special student-oriented annual event that gives them the opportunity to meet and talk to employers directly, as well as to learn more about the job market.

CED event is tailor-made to match the interests and needs of student in different years of study

The Career Education Day is organized outside campus premises and lasts for the whole day. The agenda is carefully planned to meet the needs and interests of students in different years of study. So, for example, students of lower year levels will learn more about “How to prepare yourself for a job interview”, while senior students will attend workshops and listen to industry experts talk about topics such as “How to talk to employers about employment contract, benefits & salary”. Apart from presentations and workshops, students who look for co-op and other employment opportunities attend interviews with the employers.

“I attended my first two CED events in Zagreb and my third in Rochester, NY, at RIT’s main campus. I will be attending my final CED event this week!”, continues Angela. “Career Education Day taught me to be professional and what to expect when I receive my diploma and enter the workforce. Walking into different banquet halls full of different company representatives, professors, and colleagues, being on our best behavior was definitely expected from us. Sitting down and listening to different presentations held by different companies, it was very helpful to hear what these companies look for in future employees as well as just general information about each company.”
This year’s CED event took place in Dubrovnik on February 28 and it’s about to take place in Zagreb on March 22. Both events gather several hundreds of participants – students, alumni, faculty, staff and, of course, industry representatives. This year alone, both events will attract over 50 companies!

About RIT Croatia
RIT Croatia (formerly known as ACMT) has been delivering top American degree programs in Croatia since 1997. With its two campuses, in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, this is the only US college in the country and it is the only institution for higher education granting two diplomas to its students – an American diploma, awarded by RIT, and a Croatian diploma, awarded by RIT Croatia. RIT Croatia has prepared over 2,000 young people for their (global) careers. Today, they work all over the world – from the EU countries to Australia and the US, but also exotic locations such as Curacao. International students come from all over the world but most of them come from the US. Some come from the main campus from Rochester, but a lot of Americans come from Croatian Diaspora communities in cities such as San Jose, San Pedro, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York, Toronto, Mississauga, Cleveland, and many more. For more information contact [email protected]