Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) has joined hands with Bayt.com, a leading job site in the Middle East region to launch DIAC Careers Channel, an online job portal to connect students with recruiters.

DIAC, a higher education free zone and a member of Tecom Investments, said the careers channel will go live in the next 21 days to coincide with the end of the academic year.

The exclusive job portal aims to connect students with recruiters for internships during the course of their studies to support their professional development, as well as set up graduating students with full-time career opportunities, said a DIAC official during the Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) 2010, the Middle East's four-day leading education fair which concludes on Saturday in Dubai.

The channel's immediate focus will also extend to the placement of fresh graduates in jobs, and undergraduates in summer internships to carry them until the next semester.

DIAC’s participation for the fourth consecutive year came as part of its objective to showcase higher education opportunities in the academic cluster.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, executive director of DIAC, said: “We aim to contribute to the advancement of the human capital of the UAE and the region through developing quality graduates. Every year, between 2,500 and 3,000 students pass out of various educational institutions based within the DIAC."

"The new online initiative is in line with DIAC’s strategic objective to ensure students find suitable internships and full-time work placements after graduation," he stated.

Akram Assaf, chief technology officer, Bayt.com, said: “The new channel enables corporations of any size to benefit from Bayt.com's advanced recruitment technologies to maximize their own internal recruitment ROI and save significantly on time and costs associated with recruitment."

“We are delighted to be working with DIAC to advance their careers platform through DIAC Careers Channel and are confident the synergies will bring immediate and long-term benefits to job-seekers and employers alike,” he added.

This new initiative, exclusive to Jawaz/ISIC members of the DIAC community,  falls under the Careers Department of Student Hub.

It aims to enrich the educational experience of students studying at DIAC and serve as a springboard to the corporate world for graduating students.

Becky Kilsby, Careers and Employability service manager, Middlesex University Dubai, an academic partner of DIAC, said, the initiative will enable a wide range of potential employers to reach DIAC students in an efficient way.

"The DIAC Careers Channel will also enhance students’ job search efforts and enable them to monitor their applications and revise their resumes accordingly."

"The Careers & Employability Service at Middlesex University Dubai commends this new service and looks forward to introducing the portal to our students," he added.

Dubai International Academic City currently hosts over 30 institutions from 13 different countries including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, India, France, Singapore, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon and the UAE.-TradeArabia News Service