The University of Toronto will start allowing marginalized communities to enter its job fair earlier than the start time to be inclusive. .“Early entry into the Career Fair begins at 1 p.m. for indigenous students, black students, racialized students, students who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, students with disabilities, and any student who would be able to participate more fully and effectively with fewer sensory distractions,” said U of T in a Monday statement. .“Early entry is meant to recognize and respond to the systemic barriers that disproportionately impact students who belong to these communities during their job search processes and prioritize their access to employers.” .Upon arriving at the venue, the statement said students can sign in as usual and do not need to self-identify or register with accessibility services. .The statement said there will be two pre-fair meetups for students who want to walk over to the early entry portion as a group. It said students can use this opportunity “to attend the Career Fair with other community members and connect with a Career Educator who can provide guidance around accessing identity-relevant career programming, services, and resources.” .U of T said it is holding this event to connect companies with its graduates and students. This year’s fair will offer virtual and in-person programming, including an employer-only professional development session. .The online portion will be held on Wednesday, and the in-person part is scheduled for Thursday. The university said the career fair will allow employers to meet with students to build a strong campus presence and personalize their recruitment processes. .Employers can access workshops and consultations to learn how to engage with diverse students by better understanding their interests and needs. They can use the virtual booth to show off their organization and employment opportunities. .This latest instance of wokeness at U of T comes after CUPE 3902 called on the university on August 22 to reinstate its mask mandate and take measures to increase uptake weeks before the fall semester kicks off. .READ MORE: Toronto university faculty union demands mask mandate on campus.“In the face of a full opening in the fall with over 65 thousand students at the St. George campus alone, the University of Toronto has refused to take these simple steps to keep students and workers safe,” said CUPE 3902. .“This is unacceptable.”
