16.5 Career Placement Services
Choosing an academic major and a career are important decisions. The Internship and Career Development Center (ICDC) provides individual and group sessions to assist students and fresh graduates in making these decisions by integrating all the details and aspects of a job search.
1. Career Counseling
Individual counseling appointments are available to help students:
- Provide a self-assessment of interests, personality and values, activities, exploration of career and occupational information through the use of computer software (SIGI 3).
- Learn to explore educational and career alternatives and develop career decision-making skills.
- Relate educational experiences to career planning decisions and academic qualifications to work opportunities.
- Arrange mock interviews.
- Develop additional career building tools and skills such as résumé and cover letter writing, interview techniques and job search strategies etc.).
2. Career Workshop
A variety of career development and job search workshops are conducted throughout the year. Workshops focusing on, for example, interview skills, resumé preparation and the steps in conducting a job search are also held. These workshops are facilitated by ICDC career counselors, alumni and professionals from various business sectors.
3. Alumni Career Information Session
Graduating students are invited to take part of the Alumni Career Information Session. This exclusive event is for students in their third year to meet, network with alumni and ask about their working experience, what they like and dislike about what they do, pathways into the field, etc. This is arranged according to students’ majors.
4. Job Shadowing
This program creates opportunities for students to explore career fields within business, government, and non-profit work environments. Students visit a host organization coordinated by the ICDC for one to three days and learn first-hand how classroom learning can be linked to career choices and further educational goals.
5. Career Resource File/Career Library
The Files contain a comprehensive collection of the following career material and information:
- Numerous books, software and Videos relating majors to careers.
- Information on interviewing techniques, resume writing and sample cover letters.
- Information on the occupational and labor market and information on skills necessary for job searches.
- Resources and directories that provide various statistics and salary information.
- National & International College and University graduate school catalogs.
- Database on organizations with listing of the personnel responsible for recruiting.
- Brochures and annual reports of prospective employers recruiting on Campus.
- Study guides for admission tests for graduate and professional Schools overseas.
- Computers for students to use for Internet, job search, career research, resume preparation and career assessment.
- Access to in-house developed software that keeps students apprised of On-campus recruiting activities.
6. Job Placement
6.1 Job Fairs
Each year the ICDC organizes a job fair inviting various employers representing governmental organizations and private institutions to visit the UD campus and meet with the students. This enriches the students’ networking database and provides them with more job opportunities. Besides, the ICDC involves UD students in various Job Fairs and Open Days that are organized throughout the country.
6.2 Job Listings
The ICDC has developed contacts to receive and process part/full-time job opportunities from government and private organizations in the U.A.E and the other GCC countries which are updated on a regular basis.
- The ICDC has developed an effective network by partnering with various local recruiting firms thus making more opportunities for UD students.
- A web site has been developed for the use of UD students and prospective employers to search and post jobs.
- Information on both on- and off-campus jobs is posted on Bulletin Boards across the Colleges to advertise latest opportunities available to students with a variety of employers.
6.3 Employment File
Students and fresh graduates can open an employment file at the ICDC. This file contains the student’s name, copy of the student’s passport, U.A.E National I.D., resume, and other important documents that are needed for job applications. The employment file is forwarded by the unit to prospective employers upon their request.
6.4 Graduate Electronic Resume Book
Each year, ICDC produces an Electronic Resume book containing resumés of fresh graduates. The link for the E-Resume Book is uploaded on the UD ICDC webpage http://ud.ac.ae/icdc/employer.php and sent out to potential employers so that they can access it whenever they need to hire our graduates.
6.5 On-Campus Interviews
These interviews offer students the opportunity to interview with a number of organizations for a variety of positions throughout the year. Organizations seek intelligent, committed youth with enthusiasm and zeal for selections. UD students are well trained and acquire on-the-job skills quickly after college.
6.6 Open Day
A space equipped with Chairs and tables will be provided to companies who wish to meet students for their recruitment needs. Alongside the recruitment agenda, companies are free to bring along their marketing paraphernalia and corporate giveaways to promote their products and services. The Open Day reservation form must be submitted to the icdc@ud.ac.ae at least three (3) weeks prior to the intended date of visit subject to ICDC’s approval.
6.7 Video Conference
The university is equipped with a video conference facility to enable off-site interview sessions.
6.8 Corporate Alliances
ICDC has signed several Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with various organizations from the government and private sector for hosting student internship and offer job placement for UD student and graduates in addition to hosting industry experts as guest speakers. The Center has also developed an effective network of contacts by partnering with various local recruitment firms, thus creating more opportunities for UD students.
6.9 Employers Services
Employers are invited to post their employment opportunities with the ICDC by emailing a job posting to the ICDC. Employers are also encouraged to provide printed material and electronic links to information about their organization to be used as resource materials by students and graduates involved in a job search.
Assistance is provided to the employer through a variety of other methods including:
- On-campus recruitment through the Employer Spotlight Program.
- Free advertisement of special hiring events.
- Participation in Job Fairs.
- Access to the UD Graduates’ Electronic Resume Book.
Job opportunities are advertised within 3 working days, free of charge.
Students and alumni can view posted positions online on CAMS and apply directly to the employers or through ICDC.
6.10 Employers Recognition Night
The ICDC hosts a networking event which aims to promote recruitment of UD students and graduates either for internship or full-time jobs. The event also aims to honor the best partner recruiter and internship provider for the current academic year. Details of the event are posted on the UD website.