Leading industry experts and business leaders shared their opinions on the future development of youth employment and how it will affect businesses and employment at the annual AUS Careers Forum that commenced March 11, at American University of Sharjah (AUS). The event, which saw Osman Sultan, Founding CEO of du, deliver the inaugural address, comprised a number of panel discussions held under the theme “Youth Employment: A Key to Future Development,” and featured industry leaders and experts from both the government and the private sector.

As one of the most prominent events in the university’s calendar, the forum connects regional corporate leaders with some of the region’s brightest talents, in the form of AUS’s graduating seniors and alumni. This year the event features panels focused on a number of topics that include economic challenges and their impact on youth employment, the emerging technologies and their impact on organizations and future employees, and the successful ingredients of career growth. 

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Kevin Mitchell, Acting Chancellor of AUS, said: “AUS is committed to educating students for a future in which the very nature of employment may be redefined. AUS students benefit from professional programs structured around a liberal arts core that encourages intellectual discovery, promotes an appreciation of the various modes of human enquiry, and fosters the development of the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in and contribute to their local communities and the broader world.”

Professor Mitchell also thanked the sponsors for their generosity. "Each year the AUS Careers Forum, which is held in conjunction with the Career Fair, offer opportunities for students, alumni, and employers to come together to explore opportunities for internships and full-time employment," he added. 

Addressing the opening, Charles A. Diab, Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at AUS, welcomed the delegates to the event and said: “American University of Sharjah has created numerous and unique educational pathways for our students to gain strong global and cross-cultural perspectives while honing the skills they have learned in their future careers. The Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs works hard to bring experts and industry leaders like the ones you see here today to talk to our senior students and alumni about job opportunities in knowledge-based industries. We would like to thank all the participating companies in this year’s forum for their support and the opportunities that they are providing for our students.”

AbdulQader Al Hamed, Head of Emiratization and Government Relations and Senior HRBP at the Commercial Bank of Dubai, said: “The employment landscape is going through a technological revolution and we, at the Commercial Bank of Dubai, are thrilled to collaborate with AUS this year to recruit top-notch local talent taught by a leading university.”

Featured speakers during the forum included Osman Sultan, Founding CEO, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du); Dr. Dalya Al Muthanna, President and CEO, GE Gulf; Ziad Al Hazmi, CEO, Lufthansa Technik Middle East; Kerem Cengiz, Managing Director, LWKP; Natalja Kissina, HR Vice President for Gulf and Pakistan, Schneider Electric; Aseem Kapoor, Head of Talent, Emaar Properties PJSC; Moataz Mashal, AUS Alumnus, Entrepreneur and Public Speaker, among others.

The Careers Forum will continue tomorrow, March 12, with around 50 national and multinational companies and organizations participating in the university’s Career Fair, which includes local, regional and international private, semi-government and government agencies. Graduating seniors and alumni get the opportunity to interact with corporate and governmental representatives who are seeking AUS talents, either as full-time employment or as internships.

This year’s event was supported by:

Institutional Advancement Sponsors: Bee’ah, Crescent Petroleum, Petrofac International Ltd.

Gold Sponsor: Cummins Middle East.

Silver Sponsor: Commercial Bank of Dubai.

Bronze Sponsors: Accenture, Electrolux, Khatib & Alami, Lufthansa Technik Middle East.

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