Karima Saci, chair of Effat University's finance department; Ghazi Binzagr, member of the Binzagr group and honorary advisory board member at Effat University; Amr Khashoggi, vice president of corporate affairs at Zahid Group and board member of the Saudi German business group; Magatte Wade, Co-founder of Adina World Beverages; and Michael Strong, CEO and Chief visionary officer of FLOW in US discuss employability at Effat University's 12th Career Day Saturday. — SG photo by Sana Abdul Salam Sana Abdul Salam Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Effat University held the 12th annual career day on Saturday and Sunday at the university's campus. Bearing the theme “Employability: Your ticket to the future,” the program's aim was to help attendees understand specific qualities that one needs to become employable. The program began with a welcome speech by the president of Effat University, Haifa Reda Jamal Al-Lail, followed by a speech by Muneer Khayat, vice president and the head of recruitment of the human resources department at the National Commercial Bank (NCB). Al-Lail and Khayat signed an internship agreement between Effat and NCB, indicating that students from the university's business and finance department can apply for internships at the bank. Keynote speakers for Career Day included successful personalities in the business world, Michael Strong and Magatte Wade. While Strong is the CEO and Chief Visionary Officer of FLOW in USA, Wade is the co-founder of Adina World Beverages. Strong said: “Employers are looking for someone who adds value to the company. So, once you get into a position, think proactively. Think: how can I solve problems and make the organization more effective.” On how one can assert new ideas in a collectivist society like Saudi Arabia, Strong said that it all depends on the presentation of ideas. If done respectfully without questioning the company's present system, one can get far with showing that they care for an organization as a whole. Commenting on employability, Magatte Wade said: “Employability is not just about getting a job in the traditional sense. If you can't get a job, create one!” Wade cited websites like elance.com that helps workers get connected with people looking to get projects done. “My video editor is in Guatemala, and we work through the internet,” said Wade. Wade emphasized that because of the internet, there are now new ways to get employed, and this does not have to mean getting employed in a regular 9 to 5 job in a corporation. The program also included a panel discussion between Karima Saci, chair of Effat University's finance department, Strong, Wade, and Ghazi Binzagr, member of the Binzagr group and honorary advisory board member at Effat University. The discussion was moderated by Sheikh Amr Khashoggi, vice president of corporate affairs at Zahid Group and board member of the Saudi German business group in Jeddah. The panel tackled various issues surrounding employability in Saudi Arabia, and entertained questions from the audience. Key elements of the Career Day also included a job fair for both men and women, and workshops. The workshops dealt with themes like critical thinking and employment, CV writing and Interview skills and how networking on social media can help a job seeker. Shahad Lamphon, a student attending the program, said: “I thought the program was interesting and useful, but very lengthy. I liked the fact that they brought representatives from banks to the job fair.” “Magatte Wade had a very good way of approaching her ideas, as she did not just state facts or tell us what to do, but used examples from her life to illustrate her points,” Lamphon added. Aliya Sait, another student at the program, agreed that the keynote speeches were useful. She said: “My suggestions for future programs would be to increase promotions before the event, and make the registration process for workshops easier.”
