Education City Career Fair 2018 Provides Unique Job Market Prospects

Bringing together students and alumni of all Education City partner universities with prospective employers from more than 10 different sectors, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) today launched the fourth Education City Career Fair, along with its sponsor, Qatar Shell. The fair was inaugurated by H.E. the Minister of Administrative Development Dr. Issa Saad Al-Jafali Al-Nuaimi and saw high-level ministerial attendance in the opening ceremony.

Held on February 6 and 7, 2018, at the Education City Student Center, the event builds on the success of previous years. In 2017, more than 75 students and alumni had successful access to summer internship opportunities and more than 20 students were able to secure jobs through the employment fair and take their careers to the next level. As per participation requirements this year, all organizations in attendance have declared vacancies and/or internship opportunities against which they are seeking qualified candidates. In this edition, more than 50 companies have provided full-time opportunities for Education City graduates and approximately 40 companies have extended summer internship opportunities. Prospective employers represent a diverse range of industries, including the airline, banking, beverage, broadcasting and media, education and research, management consulting, oil and gas, sports, technology, and telecommunications sectors.

Ms. Maryam Al-Mannai, vice president of student affairs at HBKU, said: “HBKU and its partner universities in Education City have always been proud of their ability to produce graduates who maintain local relevance but have a global outlook. In its past editions, students and alumni have leveraged this networking platform to their professional advantage, meeting their future employers through Education City Career Fair before going on to start exciting new chapters in their career. Similarly, local, regional and international employers keep returning year after year because they realize there is immense value in having access to an incredibly talented pool of candidates.”

Michael Sandaluk, Vice President of HR Operations at Qatar Shell, said, “Qatar Shell is committed to contributing to the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030 through the development of national talent and capabilities. We are proud to participate in the Education City Career Fair, which is an ideal platform for us to connect with students and graduates. Our aim is to become the employer of choice for the graduates who will help Qatar Shell, the energy industry and the State of Qatar in delivering the national vision.”

In the build up to this year’s Education City Career Fair, a career day for more than 90 students and alumni was organized with the participation of nine public and private sector companies, where career counselors assisted job seekers with their resume writing, presentation skills and elevator pitches. Furthermore, an information session was separately held for employers to inform them about the fair and the access they were to attain to a large number of well-rounded candidates in a one-stop environment. During the session, expectations regarding training, employment, and internship opportunities were also discussed.

Organizers of the Education City Career Fair 2018 also held a focus group meeting last September to elicit feedback from career counselors and students at participating universities. Their observations and concerns were provided valuable insight into the services they would like to be made available in upcoming editions of the career fair. 

Abdulaziz Alkharraz, a Qatari HBKU graduate who attended the fair last year, described his experience as both unorthodox and increasingly beneficial. “Whether you’re an undergraduate student who is embarking on your career, or a university graduate seeking better employment, the Education City Career Fair provides easy access to top employers in a diverse range of sectors. By attending the fair, you can expect to transcend conventional job-search methods, which are often time-consuming and require additional effort. The Education City Career Fair offers real opportunities that materialize with immediate effect,” he said.

This year, a wide number of career opportunities have been made available to Education City students and alumni. From amongst the participating organizations, 46 companies have made full-time opportunities available; 11 companies are looking to fill part-time vacancies; 52 companies are offering various internships; 14 companies are extending scholarships and sponsorships; and 12 companies have developed job-shadowing opportunities. 

The fair aims to develop wide-ranging internship and employment opportunities for members of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, HEC Paris in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar, UCL Qatar, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar.