College students and recent graduates will have the opportunity to be connected with 125 local employers for internship opportunities, volunteer opportunities, part- and full-time employment during a career expo this month.

Afterward, a networking reception will be held with area employers and members of the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers (PennACE), an event co-sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC).

The 14th Lehigh Valley Collegiate Career Expo will be held Wednesday, Feb. 25, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn at 7736 Adrienne Drive in Breinigsville, PA. The PennACE Networking Reception will be held the same date and place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The career expo has been brought together by a consortium of 13 local colleges and universities. The participating companies cover a broad range of industries, and having them all in one place gives students an opportunity to see a variety of opportunities available to them, organizers say.

“Sometimes, the companies that the students find are ones they might not have considered otherwise, and they find they didn’t realize these companies had the kinds of opportunities that they could fill,” said Tina Moyer, president of PennACE and director of career development at Lehigh Carbon Community College.

The expo is not open to the general public, but is for free for college students or recent alumni of the participating schools. Students from colleges or universities not part of the consortium may attend for a $5 charge.

Lehigh University, Moravian College, Muhlenberg College, Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Northampton Community College and LCCC are among the schools in the consortium. Others include Albright College, Alvernia University, Kutztown University, Reading Area Community College, and all branch campuses of Penn State University.

Among the participating employers are ArtsQuest, B. Braun Medical Inc., Coordinated Health, the Follett Corporation, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority, Pepsi Beverages Company, PPL Corp., St. Luke’s University Health Network and Victaulic. Click here for the full list.

Moyer said the previous career expos have been successful in connecting students with jobs, and several of her students at LCCC have found employment through the event.

Students and alumni who attend must be professionally dressed and bring a copy of their resume, Moyer said. For more information, visit the website or contact the event coordinator at LVCCEQuestions@gmail.com.

The PennACE Networking Reception will be open to all employers, current PennACE members and anyone interested in collaboration or membership. PennACE is a collaborative organization of career development and recruitment professionals that provides professional growth and networking opportunities designed to enhance career development practices for Pennsylvania college and university students and graduates.

Moyer said employers find value in PennACE membership because they can connect with almost all the colleges and universities in the state through one organization, giving them a tremendous resource to community job opportunities.

Click here for more information and to register for the networking reception.