Careers UAE 2005 winds up on high note

Exhibitors who were drawn to Careers UAE from all sectors of the industry, were highly impressed with the turnout and pulling power of the show. Most of them reported getting far more CVs from prospective employees than they had bargained for, and were of the opinion that Careers UAE was the ideal platform to attract, meet with and source fresh national talent for their respective companies.

Careers UAE which brings together the cream of national talent and top-notch employers in the region, this year witnessed record crowds of young national graduates and jobseekers who litereally swamped the venue in record numbers for all three days of the show.

Maryam Ahmed Bahlooq, Recruitment & Development Manager, National Bank of Dubai said: "This is our fifth year with Careers U.A.E. We can see a huge improvement this year in terms of both organisation and also in terms of the quality of students and jobseekers who are applying for jobs."

Mr. Saleh Al Dhahri, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Insurance Association, who took part for the first time this year said: "The show is very successful and we are planning to participate each year. We got around 350 CVs this time. The show is highly organised, specialised, and well-managed."

Iman Al Naimi, who looks after training and recruitment at Schlumberger Middle East, was another one satisfied with their participation. "I have attended similar shows in Oman, Qatar and Yemen, but I feel Careers UAE 2005 is a cut above the rest. In my opinion it is definitely the best. We hired some young nationals though Careers 2004, who are in high positions today. We hope to be as successful with our recruitments this year."

Dubai Men's College IT graduate Jamal Mohammed Al Marzouqi was one of the many prospecting for opportunities. "I came to get an overall idea about the job opportunities on offer and to apply to some institutions. I have applied for jobs with Dubai Holdings, Emirates Airline and Jumeirah International. I believe that I will be lucky to work with one of the companies that I applied to," he said.

High School graduate Amna Saeed came to Careers to scout for opportunities too. "I visited the show because I heard that there are many good opportunities for young nationals. I just have a high school certificate, but I did get a good response from the exhibitors. I was very pleased because it is my first time ever at the Careers Fair, but I was encouraged by five exhibitors to submit my resume. It is difficult enough for a university graduate to find a job, so you can imagine how much tougher it is for a high school graduate. However, I am sure that Careers is effective in helping talented young nationals to find the suitable placements," she said.

The cooperation between the DWTC and its partners Tanmia, Higher Colleges of Technology, Zayed University and UAE University enabled better channelisation of the flow of the best local talent graduating from the universities and higher institutions to the right slots in both the public and private sector.

The increase in importance being accorded to Emiratisation by the private sector was reflected in the fact that more than 50 per cent of the exhibitors at the show were drawn from this sector. The increase was a direct fallout from the extremely effective tournout at last year's event where banks, multinationals, IT and media companies, semi-government and government institutions all spared no effort to take advantage of the increasing pool of highly trained, disciplined and dedicated Emiratis who were set to begin their professional careers.

Careers UAE 2005 had registered a remarkable growth of 23% in nett space taken up. This increase was largely driven by heightened interest in Emiratisation across all sectors of the economy. The exhibition this year spread over 3,917 sq m in Sheikh Rashid Hall, up from 3,181 sq m last year. The number of exhibitors that participated was also up by 27%, with 141 taking part this year as opposed to 111 in 2004 - with over 30 companies being represented for the first time.

Alongside the exhibition itself, there was a packed programme of informative, educational and stimulating activities for all those involved in career development and recruitment. Students, graduates, job seekers, employees and teachers found the workshops and debates covering a wide range of topics relating to career opportunities and trends in the UAE very beneficial.