Company representatives at Tuesday’s annual Engineering Career Fair said there are more job and internship opportunities available for students this semester than last year.

Tom Ligouri, director of external relations in the College of Engineering, said there are fewer companies represented at this year’s fair, but job openings are actually more plentiful.

“Things are looking up for some of the companies who were hit hard after [Sept. 11],” Ligouri said.

Students seeking both internships and full-time positions in the past year have had to adjust to a more narrow job field.

“I think students could pick and choose before, and they are finding it to be a more competitive job market than previously,” Ligouri said.

Students agreed companies had more positions to offer this year. Ben Mueller, senior in mechanical engineering, said he noticed a change in job market.

“It’s improving, because last fall it was very slow,”Mueller said. “[The company representatives at the career fair] were looking for interns and co-ops, but not full-time employees. This year seems to be better.”

The ISU fair is the largest indoor engineering career fair in the United States, with 192 companies represented this year. Engineering students are encouraged to attend the fair each year.

Melissa Schraufnagel, freshman in computer engineering, was required to attend the fair for her engineering 101 class. Schnaugnagel said she planned to speak with company representatives and distribute resumes to companies who expressed specific interest in hiring freshmen.

“I’m a little worried, because it seems like all of the upperclassmen will be getting the jobs, so when I’m an upperclassman, there won’t be as many available,” Schraufnagel said.

The companies represented at the Engineering Career Fair offered information about their companies, as well as candy and trinkets ranging from key chains to John Deere toy tractors.

Company representatives said they were mostly looking to collect resumes and speak with students who were interested in the company. They said they were interested in a professionally-dressed, confident student with a strong resume.

The representatives at the 3M Innovation booth were all ISU alumni who use the job fair to do preliminary interviews and gather resumes.

Almost half of the 600 employer representatives at the career fair are ISU alumni, said Ligouri.

Richard Sievert, program manager for Husco International, said his company has been pleased with past interns from Iowa State.

“The goal of our co-op program is to hire students as full-time employees after graduation if they are a fit for the company,” Sievert said.

Husco offers a four-term co-op program beginning with a close relationship with full-time engineers and ending with responsibilities expected of an entry-level engineer.

Husco currently has two ISU co-ops — two ISU students who are finishing the program and four opportunities for new employees.

“In February, we saw a lot of students just handing out resumes without looking too far into the company, but we’re looking for people who want to make a career with our company,” Sievert said.