Careers UAE Exhibition 2013 ended on a high note this year as recruiting companies continue to reap the benefits from applications and contacts they received over the course of the three-day exhibition.

With 2013 announced as The Year of Emiratisation, the exhibition’s 13th edition raised the bar in terms of job seeker attendance of 17,522 UAE nationals. The event garnered strong exhibitor participation, private sector buy-in and a high volume of applications, said the event organisers Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

Long established as the nation’s foremost platform for recruitment, training and education prospects, the exhibition was held amid productive interactions and networking.

The career aspirations of UAE nationals intersected with the recruitment and enrolment needs of over 150 companies. To accelerate the recruitment process, companies initiated a preliminary phase of language testing in preparation for the subsequent interview phase.

The companies attracted a broad spectrum of Emiratis encompassing undergraduates, postgraduates, high school students as well as those who wished to further their careers or qualifications, the organisers stated.

Summing up the 13th edition, Helal Saeed Almarri, the DTCM director general and DWTC chief executive said the expo had played a key role for ambitious young UAE nationals cultivating key contacts and relationships with the aim of securing employment in a vibrant UAE workforce.

"As Emiratisation efforts intensify across the country to attract UAE nationals to a vast array of career opportunities, exhibitors participating at this year’s event have demonstrated steadfast support to contribute to the country’s recruitment goals," he added.

While companies received thousands of applications on average each day during the exhibition, CVs continue to pour in via ‘Wadheefty’, a user-friendly online job portal where prestigious employers post vacancies exclusively for UAE nationals.

Hundreds of candidates have already registered on the portal, while dozens of employers are coming on board to add more job openings.
Due to CV-strengthening skills that were imparted by Bayt.com in its CV Clinic, Emirati job seekers are better equipped to enhance their applications and market themselves to prospective employers.

They were also guided Bayt.com’s roundtable where prominent employers offered valuable advice on the job market. Meanwhile the Emirati Women Leaders Panel gave young women lifelong lessons about careers and life as a whole, by interfacing with inspirational women, said the organisers.

The response from the Emirati visitors was overwhelmingly positive, with Maryam Yousif Al Hammadi  - a student at the Higher Colleges of Technology - saying: "I was really impressed by the warm hospitality of the exhibitors, and the genuine passion they had for making 2013 a special Year of Emiratisation."

"After listening to the motivational and enlightening talks by various employers, I am now keen to join the private sector because I can see that climbing the corporate ladder will only be limited by the career ambitions I set for myself," he noted.

Noura Mohammed Al Mazrouei of Zayed University said: “For me, one of the many positive aspects of Careers UAE Exhibition 2013 is that the advice we gained was not one-sided in terms of only employment; but three dimensional because it touched on employment, education and training."

"This taught me that I don’t have to restrict myself to careers that are aligned with my current university studies, because I can always further my education or upgrade my skills through part-time training courses, even when I am working full-time," she stated.  

Mohammed Al Muallem, senior VP and managing director (UAE Region) for DP World said, "The hundreds of talented university graduates and students who expressed interest in coming on board our company will go a long way towards filling approximately 1,000 new jobs that will be created at the new Container Terminal 3, following the ongoing expansion of Jebel Ali Port."

Hundreds of visitors who flocked to the Presidential Guard stand were particularly enthused to learn that it is creating a number of job openings for UAE nationals.

Training is one of the vital pillars supporting the Emiratisation process, and Nasser Butti Al Shamsi, Director General of Tanmia (NHRD & AE) said: “Our interaction with hundreds of visitors has given us greater clarity on the expectations of both candidates and employers. This will aid us in keeping our courses dynamic, in order to keep pace with the needs of the ever-evolving labour market.”

Given the increasing computer proficiency of most UAE nationals, the TRA stand also witnessed substantial volumes of visitors.

Ahmad Al Falasi, the acting manager Human Capital Support Services Sector said, "Considering that it was the first time we participated at Dubai Careers Exhibition, we are pleased to have witnessed a consistent stream of visitors. Currently we are focusing mainly on Computer and Communication Engineers, and visitors were interested to know about the job opportunities TRA provides."

"Emiratis make up about 75 per cent of the TRA workforce, and we look forward to strengthening this by announcing our summer jobs in the near future," he added.

Suhail Masri, the VP of Sales at Bayt.com said: "Various prestigious employers came together and exchanged market insights that will empower them to make optimal hiring decisions. Participants reached the consensus that by providing a competitive working environment, employers will not only attract but also retain top Emirati talents."

"For current and future job seekers, the free CV consultancy at our CV Clinic helped hundreds of visitors to diagnose and remedy any potential weaknesses in their CVs, in order to secure more interviews and job offers," he added.-TradeArabia News Service