QF partner universities unite to help job-seeking students
The Qatar Foundation partner universities came together to offer guidance, advice, and cautious optimism to students in Education City. Nearly 130 students joined the virtual event titled “Career Opportunities and Challenges in times of COVID19” to learn about the hiring landscape in Doha, now that the pandemic has shifted the priorities of many organizations.
The career development offices of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, Texas A&M at Qatar and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar collaborated to organize the virtual event that was open to all students in Education City.
“We found we were all hearing the same questions from students,” said Mohammed Mirza, senior career consultant at CMU-Q. “Students want to know if they can do internships online, who is recruiting, and will they be able to find a job.”
The universities felt that a collaborative approach was the best way to help the students. “It was truly a joint effort,” said Mirza. “The event came together like a jigsaw puzzle—each one of us contributed a piece.”
Faten El Ayache, senior employer relations consultant at CMU-Q, explained that the organizers wanted to appeal to a broad audience of Education City students: “We have many majors within the universities, so we selected employers who hire a variety of students from different backgrounds.”
The expert panel explained how their organizations are adapting in response to the pandemic. They also suggested to students that in light of the shifting landscape, versatility is a key trait for potential interns and new hires.
The panel, which was moderated by Texas A&M at Qatar’s Sarah Aboulhosn, manager of industry engagement and alumni affairs, included Haitham Al-Haidari, co-founder and CEO of Modaris, Dr. Khalid Al Khulaifi, assistant director of human resources at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Yomna Hamza, Northern Middle East recruiter for Schlumberger, and Scott Kind, director of strategy and organizational development at Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority.