Academic Catalog

Career Services Policy

Policy 

Internship and Career Development Center (ICDC) Responsibilities

UD is committed to providing comprehensive career services to students and alumni that are based on the best practices and international standards in career development. These services will be designed to support students in their career planning, job search strategies, and career management. Career services provided by ICDC include the following: 

1. Career Services

1.1 One-to-One Career Counseling 

       Individual counseling appointments are available to help students:

  1. Develop additional career building tools and skills such as résumé and cover letter writing, interview techniques and job search strategies etc.

  2. Arrange mock interviews. Learn to explore educational and career alternatives and develop career decision-making skills.

  3. Relate educational experiences to career planning decisions and academic qualifications to work opportunities.

1.2 Career Workshop

A variety of career development and job search workshops are conducted throughout the year. Workshops focusing on, for example, interview skills, resume 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.

 

1.3 Alumni Career Information Session
Graduating students are invited to take part in 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.

 

1.4 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.

 

1.5 Career Resource File/Career Library  

The Career Library contain a comprehensive collection of the following career material and information:

  1. Numerous books, software and videos relating majors to careers.

  2. Information on interviewing techniques, resume writing and sample cover letters.

  3. Information on the occupational and labor market and information on skills necessary for job searches.

  4. Resources and directories that provide various statistics and salary information.

  5. Database on organizations with listing of the personnel responsible for recruiting.

  6. Websites of prospective employers recruiting on campus.

  7. Computers for students to use for a job search, career research, resume preparation and career assessment.

1.6 Industry Visits
Industry visits offer a unique opportunity to tour an employer office with a small group of students and gain inside knowledge about the industry directly from the professionals within the organization.

2. Job Placement 

2.1 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, UAE National ID, 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.

2.2 
Job Fair
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. In addition, the ICDC involves UD students in various job fairs and open days that are organized throughout the country.

2.3 
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 request 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.     

2.4 Job Listings
Employers are invited to post their employment opportunities with UD 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.Job opportunities are advertised to UD students and alumni within 3 working days, free of charge.

2.5 Graduate Electronic Resume Book 
Each year, ICDC produces an electronic resume book containing resumes 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 is sent out to potential employers so that they can access it whenever they may need to hire UD graduates. 

2.6 On-campus Interviews
On-campus interviews offer students the opportunity to interview with a number of organizations for a variety of positions throughout the year. 
On-campus requests  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.    

2.7 Video Conference 
Interviewing university students via video conference has become a common practice for many employers, especially in recent years with the advancement of technology and the increasing acceptance of remote work. The university is equipped with a video conference facility to enable off-site interview sessions with employers.

3. Corporate Alliances 
ICDC has signed several MoU’s with various organizations from the government and private sector for providing student internships and offering job placement for UD students and graduates. In addition to hosting industry experts as guest speakers, ICDC has also developed an effective network of contacts by partnering with various local recruitment firms, thus creating more opportunities for UD students.      

3.1 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.

4. Evaluation
The evaluation process for the Internship and Career Development Center (ICDC) at the University is designed to assess and enhance the quality and effectiveness of the services provided to both students and employers. The evaluations will provide valuable insights, identify areas for improvement, and ensure the continuous enhancement of the center’s offerings and overall partnership between the university and employers. Collected survey data is compiled and analyzed by the QAIE. Key findings with recommended actions for improvement will be shared with ICDC and concerned colleges for implementation.