Following the tremendous success of the annual Business Forum held yesterday at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), the university hosted the Career Fair today, March 19, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of AUS. The Career Fair was inaugurated by Salem Yousef Al Qaseer, AUS Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs.

The annual Career Fair, organized by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, provides AUS seniors and alumni with the opportunity to meet representatives from the private and public sectors interested in recruiting students and graduates as either full-time employees or interns.

More than 70 local and multinational companies were present at the event, most from the United Arab Emirates but many from around the region as well. Some of the organizations present at the event included Crescent Petroleum, Petrofac International Ltd, Alsayegh Media, L'Oreal Middle East, Accenture, Mars GCC, Cummins Middle East, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, said: "The Career Fair is characterized as a link between the AUS laboratory, where students have been equipped with skills and knowledge as influential young thinkers of tomorrow, and the world of work. Graduating seniors and alumni have the ease of interfacing with a multitude of company officers all present at one venue, which permits the exploration of various career paths and the professional opportunities that are assembled at the fair. We are very proud of our continued association with leading companies and business partners present here today."

Through the Career Fair, AUS graduating seniors and alumni have the opportunity to interact with several companies all in one location. In turn, the companies are able to meet well-qualified candidates for jobs in their businesses.

According to Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman, Unilever MENA: "As a leading consumer goods company, at Unilever we believe in our responsibility to help develop the local talent of tomorrow. Forums like this provide the students with the opportunity to interact, engage and get inspired by industry experts on the role that they can play in the future."

Mohammad Sadiyah, Director General of Khatib and Alami, Consolidated Engineering Company, expressed pride at being one of the sponsors of the successful career fair. "This emphasizes the importance of strengthening the partnership between institutions of higher education and the private sector. It is an ideal chance for students to be close to the practical life's experience and career opportunity," he said, stressing the keen interest of his company in its active involvement in corporate responsibility.

Sponsors include: Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Barclays Bank, STRATA, Mubadala Aerospace, UAE Central Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Waha Capital, Crescent Petroleum, Unilever, National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), Petrofac International Ltd., United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), Airbus, Xerox Emirates, Cummins Middle East, Alsayegh Media, The Saudi British Bank (SABB), Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Veolia Water Services and Technologies, The Chalhoub Group, Shell, Nestle Middle East, Hewlett Packard, Procter & Gamble, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Al Serkal Group of Companies, Mars GCC, Accenture, L'Oreal Middle East, Yahsat, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Khalifa University.