From 23 to 25 February, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, hosted the first edition of JET – Business and Technology Seminar Series at Oeiras Campus. This new event, part of the Técnico Career Weeks, has been developed by merging the Industrial Engineering and Management Seminar Series (JEGI) and the Business and Technology Week (SET), both of which were previously held separately.
Over the three days, the programme featured company exhibition stands, lectures, workshops and speed interviews, one of the most popular activities. “This year, we didn’t have to reach out to students for speed interviews because they sold out quickly”, says Sara Marques, the general coordinator associated with the former SET. She highlights this dynamic as one of the main advantages of the event. From the students’ perspective, direct contact with companies was highly valued. Ana Carolina Serpa, a master’s student in Industrial Engineering and Management, noted that this new event allowed her to “connect with companies outside of her usual area” and broaden her horizons. “If it weren’t for these fairs, I would hardly have any contact with many of these companies. Here, we can better understand their dynamics, speak directly to representatives, and receive feedback”, she explains.
Sofia Nunes, a master’s student in Computer Science and Engineering who participated in the event as a Deloitte representative, highlights the importance of these initiatives. “I found out about summer internship opportunities at a fair like this. These events are essential for bridging the gap between academia and the professional world”, she points out.
The companies also reinforced the importance of direct contact with Técnico students. Joana Cação, from Deloitte’s talent attraction team, emphasises that these fairs help answer questions about career paths and present opportunities from the early years of study. “It’s very important to create this relationship early on and show what kind of career students can develop at our company”, she says.
Joana Mendonça, Vice-President of Técnico Oeiras Campus, highlighted the significance of this inaugural joint edition and emphasised the energy of the student community, noting that JET is an event fully organised by students, with institutional support from Técnico.
“Concentrating efforts and engaging more students in a single event”
Joining the two largest job fairs into one single event at Oeiras campus was a strategic choice, with the aim of concentrating efforts, increasing student participation and offering better conditions to participating companies. “There were two very similar initiatives featuring the same companies, but attendance did not always meet expectations. The creation of JET allows us to concentrate efforts and engage more students in a single event,” explains Duarte Barbosa, a third-year Industrial Engineering and Management student, president of the Industrial Engineering and Management Students’ Organisation (NEEGI) and one of the four general coordinators of the event. According to Duarte, this joint event allowed the creation of “a single fair for all students on campus”, making JET one of the largest student events held in Oeiras. Despite the organisational complexities — which involved centres with different models and traditions — the outcome has been positive. “It was challenging, but it turned out better than we expected. The feedback from companies has been very encouraging, with increased traffic at the stands, greater participation in activities and increased interest from students”, he said.
Sara Marques also highlighted the impact of joining the two events. “In recent years, there has been a lower participation, both from companies and students. By combining the two events, we were able to bring more people to Oeiras campus and create a more attractive dynamic”, she said. The data collected confirms this perception: the JET digital platform recorded a significant increase in interactions compared to previous editions, reflecting greater involvement by participants.
