2026 CAPPA Career Fair

Countdown to CAPPA Career Fair

📅 February 25, 2026 | 🕙 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM 📍 CAPPA Building, UTA Campus | 601 W. Nedderman Drive, Arlington, TX 76019

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Event Overview

As part of the yearlong celebration of CAPPA 10: A Decade Together, A Future of Possibilities, the UTA College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) is proud to host the Spring 2026 Career Fair on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 — a full-day, in-person and virtual event connecting students with top employers in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, urban design, planning, and public administration.

This milestone event reflects the growing partnerships between CAPPA and our professional colleagues. We encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity to engage with firms, non-profits, and municipalities shaping the future of our disciplines. The Career Fair is hosted by CAPPA’s student organizations in collaboration with the UTA Career Development Center.

Career Fair Schedule

February 25, 2026

Career Fair Expo & Interviews

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (In-Person)

Meet employers at their tables, network, attend firm presentations, and participate in scheduled interviews. All interviews will take place in the CAPPA building.

Virtual Career Fair
4:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Online)
Designed to support online students and programs, this session will feature breakout rooms for informal interviews and discussions with participating firms, non-profits, and municipalities.

Firm Presentations
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (In-Person)
Participating firms will give public presentations throughout the day, offering insights and answering questions about their practice and workplace culture.

Information for Students

All students participating in the fair will have the opportunity to share digital resumes and portfolios with every registered organization—ensuring visibility before, during, and after the event. All students are strongly encouraged to register for the Career Fair using Handshake, which will make your profile available to all firms. Student portfolios will also be made available to firms in advance of the Career Fair.

Steps to Take

Register for the CAPPA 2026 Career Fair.
Create your UTA Handshake Profile and include your resume and cover letter.
Upload your PDF Portfolio to OneDrive: Student Portfolios
- Format: PDF, max 20MB
- Filename: Lastname.Firstname.PDF
- Portfolios will be shared privately with registered employers.
Attend the Career Fair Workshops
- Get feedback on your resume, portfolio, interview skills, Handshake profile, and more
Review participating employers on Handshake
- You will receive a survey to request interviews with specific firms.
- Interview slots are limited and not guaranteed.

Important Dates for Students

January 14, 2026 (Wednesday) – Portfolio Speed Dating Workshop
January 26, 2026 (Monday) – Registration, Handshake Profile, and Portfolio Deadline
February 13, 2026 (Friday) – Interview Request Deadline
February 25, 2026 (Wednesday) – CAPPA Career Fair

Student Workshops

Portfolio Speed Dating Workshop (January 16, 2026)

Get quick critiques and feedback from CAPPA faculty and area professionals.

Career Development Workshops

Multiple workshops will be provided by the student organizations. Topics include resume and cover letter writing, interview and negotiation skills, and optimizing your Handshake and LinkedIn profiles.

Information for Firms and Non-Profits

CAPPA welcomes professional firms, non-profits, municipalities, and organizations to participate in the 2026 Career Fair. This year introduces new features, including student interviews and firm presentations, alongside our traditional expo. Registration for the Career Fair uses Handshake and requires setting up a Handshake profile.

Career Fair Components:

Expo

The heart of the CAPPA Career Fair – all participating firms enjoy a table in the CAPPA building. Network with students and colleagues and reconnect with faculty.

Student Interviews

Firms interested in conducting student interviews can register via Handshake. Private rooms in CAPPA will be assigned in two-hour blocks, during which firms may conduct interviews with students.

To support student engagement, CAPPA will reserve 30 minutes of each two-hour block to schedule interviews based on student requests. The remaining time is available for firms to coordinate directly with students.

Firms can:

Access student profiles on Handshake.
Review student portfolios in advance (CAPPA will provide a direct link after January 26).
Use the contact information on Handshake to reach out and schedule interviews.

We appreciate your partnership in helping students connect meaningfully with potential employers.

Firm Presentations

The Career Fair encourages firms to make a short public presentation to share their mission, culture, and opportunities with students. Interested firms should register for a time slot on Handshake.

Virtual Career Fair

Firms may choose to participate in-person, online, or both. This option is especially valuable for connecting with students in CAPPA’s online Master of Public Administration and City Cohort programs.

Important Dates for Employers

October 31, 2025 (Friday) – Early Bird Registration Opens
January 1, 2026 (Thursday) – Early Bird Registration Deadline
February 6, 2026 (Friday) – Final Employer Registration Deadline
February 13, 2026 (Friday) – Student Interview Request Deadline
February 25, 2025 (Wednesday) – CAPPA Career Fair

Registration Details

Employers will register through Handshake, UTA’s employment platform.
Create a Handshake Profile to connect with students (required)
Include a link to your organization’s website
An invoice will be sent after registration
Detailed event information will be emailed upon registration

Questions?

For any other questions not addressed please contact us here.