Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), the university held its annual Career Fair today, March 18. The event, held exclusively for AUS students and alumni, was inaugurated by Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, AUS Acting Chancellor, and follows the success of the annual AUS Business Forum held yesterday.

As one of the most high-profile events held on campus, the Career Fair provides a link between the university, where students acquire skills and knowledge, and the world of business, where these skills and knowledge can be used. This edition of the event had over 70 local and multinational companies participating and allowed AUS seniors and alumni to meet with representatives from the private and public sectors to explore opportunities pertaining to full-time employment as well as internships.

Engaging with the corporate world is among one of the university's main endeavors. Events such as these reflect the university's priorities as well as offering a forum where companies can come to campus and meet well-qualified candidates for jobs in their respective businesses.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs, said, "We are very pleased by our continued association with the leading companies present here today. This event is a prominent one, as it links our seniors and alumni with local, regional, and multinational companies, allowing them to network as well as explore the career paths and professional opportunities that Career Fair offers."

This year participating companies included local, regional and international private, semi-government and government agencies interested in recruiting AUS students and graduates as either full-time employees and/or interns. Some of the companies present included Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Bee'ah, Emirates NBD, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), MBC Group, Schlumberger and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) among others.

"The best thing is the wide variety of corporate brands present here today," said an AUS senior student at the event. "One gets the chance to speak directly to officials representing their companies who can provide guidance and advice relating to internship opportunities and full-time employment."

Sponsors include: Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Investment Overseas, MAG, Total, STRATA, Yahsat, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Julphar, Crescent Petroleum, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, AXA Insurance, Cummins Middle East, Khatib & Alami, National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), Petrofac International Ltd., Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Accenture, Arla, Chalhoub Group, Ecolab, Emerson, Henkel, L'Oreal Middle East, Mars GCC, Mubasher Trade, Nestle Middle East and Shell.