Texas A&M at Qatar brings together job-seeking students and regional companies for annual networking event
Published Nov 06, 2016
More than 70 representatives from 35 businesses and companies in the region attended the Career Networking Night 26 Oct. at the Texas A&M Engineering Building in Education City, Doha, Qatar.
Eighty Texas A&M at Qatar students and 30 former students were on hand to meet with the industry representatives about internship and employment opportunities.
The event was organized by the largest student organization at the branch campus, the Student Engineers’ Council, which aims to provide professional development and advancement to students.
“We recognized the need to shorten the gap between Aggies in the classroom and the corporate world,” said Saadat Khan, event co-organizer and mechanical engineering senior. “The event allows students to build connections with representatives from companies that they may possibly want to intern or work for in the future.”
The event began with remarks from the dean of Texas A&M at Qatar, Dr. César O. Malavé. “Aggie engineers are problem solvers who are in the business of changing the world,” Malavé said. “We’re excited to host so many companies here tonight so you can see firsthand what I mean. Since 2007 we’ve graduated more than 700 students who have contributed significantly to the State of Qatar. Our students have a track record of leadership and excellence. If you are looking for dynamic qualities in an employee who thinks critically and is ambitious in striving toward selfless service, look no further. Hire an Aggie engineer!”
The career services coordinator at Texas A&M at Qatar Sarah Aboulhosn helped students prepare their résumés for the networking event to ensure students put their best foot forward.
“This may be the first time some of our students meet and interact with the corporate world,” Aboulhosn said. “We emphasize making a good first impression. That means dressing professionally of course, but it also means peering over a student’s résumé to make sure there are no spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. For many of our students, this is their first attempt at writing a résumé so we start from the basics.
“At Texas A&M at Qatar we’ve educated exemplary engineers who have contributed immensely to Qatar’s growth in the past decade plus. Companies are aware of what Aggie engineers can do for them and are eager to meet and discuss potential career opportunities with our students as much as our students are eager to network with them,” Aboulhosn said.
Khan concluded, “The event was a success. The employers reciprocated positively toward us, which allowed students to make valuable connections.”