Bringing university students and employers together is necessary for the University to consolidate its links with the community and produce graduates qualified to meet work requirements, said Dr Isam Zabalawi, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, as he opened the University's second Career Day Exhibition yesterday.
He said that the exhibition, in which 26 public and private establishments were taking part, constituted a message from the University of its solidarity with the community.
"We are keen on the continuation of such a relationship and will always work on supporting and promoting competence and providing our student with tools needed to activate their work and specializations," he said.
The University may also benefit from graduates in their workplaces through the feedback received from them about the latest developments in any of the specializations they have been qualified to work in, he said.
The University will work on developing specializations in accordance with these developments, he added. "We taught our students always to keep in mind that they have to contribute to the development process in the country," added Dr Zabalawi.
Dr Deborah Dawn Salimi, Director of the University's Career Services Office, said that the exhibition aimed at providing a beneficial opportunity to all participants, the students and the prospective employers who participated in it.
"Our purpose is not to give students jobs, but to provide an alumnae with the necessary preparation and tools to support them as they learn to explore and confidently seek the career of their choice," she said.
She said that the Office provided an on line CV generator as well as basic steps to career exploration, preparing for interviews, what to expect the first day on the job, the importance of learning how to network and establish contacts and follow-ups.
There are also online handbooks for parents and employers who may be interested in working with the University to provide opportunities for training and employment of the students in their organizations. The address is www.sharjah.ac.ae/overview.
Some participants interviewed by Gulf News said that the exhibition was an opportunity to know about the qualifications of the University students as well to introduce them to various careers and activities.
Mahmoud Habayeb, Administrative Secretary of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh & Co. (TAGCO), said that the company was keen to offer jobs to fresh graduates.
"The company experienced appointing fresh graduates who proved enthusiastic enough to acquire and learn job duties very fast. Compared to staff who had been working for many years, fresh graduates are more capable of developing and interacting efficiently, “he said.
The exhibition also provides an opportunity to introduce company activities and different careers to students, he added.
Maysoun Al Hosani, Events Manager of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, said that there were vacancies in the department.
"We are here looking for graduates or potential graduates. We asked students to submit their CVs. We encourage graduates of the University to take up tourism promotion," she added.
Engineer Bilal Adnan Saffarini, Chief Engineer of Adnan Saffarini Designs and Supervision and Consultant, said that the exhibition was an opportunity to discover new experiences, as well as to assess the academic levels of engineering students.
"We discuss with them their graduation projects and those who are up to the company's standard are offered jobs."
The company has recruited a number of fresh graduates from different local universities and they have proved competent.
"We also provide training opportunities through our offices in the different Emirates," he said.
Hind Nasser, a potential graduate in Computer Engineering, said: "The exhibition is a great opportunity to know about careers in the labor market."