Students looking for a job usually have to go an employer. But the Career Services Center is flipping that model and bringing employers to Western.

The Western Career Expo returns for its seventh year on Thursday. It will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center at South Campus. The event is free for students.

The expo began in 1999 after staff members at the Career Services Center noticed many other local colleges were hosting similar events, said Carol White, associate director of the Career Services Center. White is in charge of organizing the event this year.

The goal of the fair is to give Western students and alumni a chance to meet employers and representatives from graduate and professional schools, White said.

White said she expects 600-700 students to attend the event. As many as 1,100 students have attended the event, she said.

About 100 companies, schools and internship programs have signed up to participate in the event. The deadline for regular registration was Oct. 13, but interested companies can still register at a higher fee, according to the Career Services Center Web site.

Stacey Hughes, human resources manager for the communications company and insurance carrier Afni, said she became involved with the career expo last spring.

Afni had started participating in the expo many years before Hughes came to her position last January, she said.

Hughes said her company has positions available for customer care consultants, human resource interns, management and an instructor.

Stefanie Ray, property manager for College Suites at Campbell Lane, said this is her business’ first year participating in the career fair. College Suites employees heard about the event through e-mail and decided to advertise for community assistants, who are full-time students employed part-time in exchange for free rent, and porters, who handle trash pick-up and other grounds issues.

White said the expo should be viewed not only as a place to find work, but as an opportunity for career exploration.

“This is a rare opportunity to meet face to face with company representatives,” White said. “It is a good time to exchange information, to learn about companies and let them learn about you.”

Reach Katie Brandenburg at news@wkuherald.com.