Victoria International School of Sharjah hosts its first major careers fair

Around 150 students from grades nine to 13 and parents met with the UAE's leading universities and colleges where they were given the chance to learn more about the higher education options available to them after leaving school.

Students received direction and advice on everything from specific undergraduate courses and admission requirements to information on university campuses and extracurricular activities offered.

Dr. Roderick Crouch, VISS Principal, said, "At VISS, these fairs are crucial in helping students understand there are many opportunities that await them."

Crouch added, "We have a dedicated careers advisor to assist students and their families in determining the best university worldwide for what they want to achieve. We are committed not just to providing an outstanding education, but as importantly to helping students maximise that education as they take next step."

The careers fair, which saw 17 higher education institutions participate, was organized as part of the school's careers education offering. Careers education and guidance is incorporated into the curriculum to meet the school's aims of helping students to make confident, informed and reasoned decisions about their futures and potential career paths.

"The careers fair was yet another example of the continuous support that we at VISS provide for our students - a support mechanism that we prize so highly," said Sajid Hussain, Head of Business, Enterprise and Careers Education at VISS.

"This event gave our senior school students and their parents a platform to obtain advice, receive direction and make informed decisions from the leading universities from across the UAE," he added.

Sixteen-year-old Jaques Du Plessis, who is the school's Captain, hopes to study Actuarial Sciences or Chartered Accountancy at university. He said the careers fair was an opportunity to learn more about the universities and the options that are available.

"It's great that the school is opening up all of these pathways to us," he said. "It certainly helps to make things much simpler and it was good to meet with a range of people to discuss all the possibilities."

"We started receiving careers advice and guidance at VISS when we were around 14 years of age and the school has made good suggestions about the areas we should look into to help us choose our subjects accordingly," he added.

Fifteen-year-old Alyina Ahmed, who wants to study Architecture at university, added, "Even though we do a lot of study we also do a lot of co-curricular activities such as this careers fair. I think it's great for us because we have so many different opportunities with all of these universities coming in that I don't think we would get anywhere else."

The fair also offered guidance and information for parents who were invited by the school to attend.

"The careers fair was very well organized and helpful with a lot of information coming from the universities that is not only of benefit for the students but also us as parents," said Mr. Jacobus Martinson, whose son is in grade 13 at the school.

Universities and Colleges included the American University of Dubai (AUD), American University of Sharjah (AUS), American University of the Emirates, Amity University, British University in Dubai, Canadian University of Dubai (CUD), Emirates Aviation College, Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, European International College, Heriot Watt University, Murdoch University, New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi, Paris Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), SAE (School of Audio Engineering) Dubai, University of Bolton, and the University of Wollongong.