Career Connections for Employers

The Handshake system is an electronic job board operated by the CU Denver Career Services office. It is available to CAP students and alumni. In addition to advertising relevant career and internship positions, employers can review CAP student and alumni resumes and create an employer profile to help prospective employees learn more about your organization.

Access CU Denver Career Services’ Handshake system online.

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning also maintains an electronic job board for its students. To post planning-related job notices, please contact Associate Department Chair Jennifer Steffel Johnson at Jennifer.SteffelJohnson@ucdenver.edu

CAP Career Fair
Every spring, CAP holds a career fair.  This event has a unique format that enables employers to efficiently interview a large number of students for career or internship positions. Prior to the event, students will research participating organizations and sign up for interview time slots.  Employers are provided a table at which to conduct 20-minute interviews, with a total of 15 potential interviews during the event.

Interested employers also have the opportunity to present their organization to students during lunchtime sessions. And, the evening before the career fair, the CAP student organizations host a mixer for students and employers—a great opportunity for students and employers to get to know each other in a casual, relaxed environment.  

For additional information about the CAP Career Fair, please contact Leo Darnell at Leonard.Darnell@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-1015.

Internships are intentional, supervised learning experiences for students. While interns may be paid or unpaid, offering a competitive salary will attract the best and the brightest.

Why hire an intern?

• Increase your productivity: student interns are ready to put their knowledge and skill to work.
• Gain a fresh perspective: students bring technology and research skills, awareness of best practices, and enthusiasm
• View a potential employee in action: observing an intern in your work environment can ensure fit, reduce recruitment costs and increase retention
• Provide professional development for your staff:  mentoring and managing an intern enhances staff members’ supervisory skills
• Develop a relationship with CAP: gain visibility for your organization, potential collaboration with CAP faculty, and learn about opportunities for students to undertake a real-client class or capstone project for your firm.
  

For questions about hiring interns from the Urban and Regional Planning Department or to post a planning-related internship position, please contact Jennifer Steffel Johnson at Jennifer.SteffelJohnson@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-0061. For information about hiring interns from all other CAP departments, please contact Chris Nims at Christopher.Nims@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-1014.

There are a variety of opportunities for employers to connect with our students:

Firm Tours or Open Houses
Firms may open their offices for a tour or an open house inviting students and faculty to visit their offices, meet staff and learn about the firm’s expertise and accomplishments.

Project Displays
CAP offers a variety of display settings throughout the college. Firms are invited to exhibit models, boards, and other products of their work at CAP.  If you are interested, please contact Leo Darnell at Leonard.Darnell@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-1015.

Urban and Regional Planning Job Shadowing
Students are paired one-on-one with a professional planner for a single day. By observing the professional at their workplace, students have the opportunity to build professional relationships and gain insight into the profession. This program is organized by the Student chapter of the APA (APAS). If you are interested in participating in the program, please contact APAS at apas.ucd.co@gmail.com.

Landscape Architecture Externships
An externship is required for MLA students prior to taking the professional practice course. For more information, please contact Associate Department Chair Leila Tolderlund at Leila.Tolderlund@ucdenver.edu.

Serve on a Studio Jury
Studio courses in every CAP discipline benefit from having professionals give feedback to students during midterm and final jury presentations. If you are interested in serving on a jury, please provide your information to please contact Leo Darnell at Leonard.Darnell@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-1015 and a faculty member will contact you when an appropriate opportunity becomes available.

Speak to a Class
CAP’s award-winning faculty provide expert instruction to students, but recognize that students benefit from hearing directly from professionals in the field. If you are interested in being a guest speaker in a CAP class, please please contact Leo Darnell at Leonard.Darnell@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-1015 and a faculty member will contact you when an appropriate opportunity becomes available.

Host a Lunch-and-Learn
The CAP community is enriched through extra-curricular learning opportunities for students, faculty and staff. Informal, “brown bag” lunchtime get-togethers at the college are frequently offered as an easy way for alumni and professionals to connect with CAP and share their professional experiences. These are often organized by the CAP student organizations. If you are interested in speaking with a group, please please contact Leo Darnell at Leonard.Darnell@ucdenver.edu, or 303-315-1015 and you will be contacted when an opportunity is available.