March 31 , 2008

Students Prepare to Enter Workforce

Organized by the Counseling Office and sponsored by the PALTEL Group, Career Day at Bethlehem University “aims to introduce our students to different organizations, institutions and local businesses to provide them with suitable job opportunities in the near future,” Mary Sabella, Head of the Counseling Office at Bethlehem University , explained during the commencement of the event. “Similarly, Career Day aims to introduce the companies to our students' abilities and qualifications,” she added. This year 34 companies participated, including businesses, hospitals and schools.

Ula Shihadeh, BU '06, met with representatives from Deloitte and Ernest and Young. “I haven't been able to find work since I graduated. I hope I made a good impression on them and that they will call me for a second interview,” Ms. Shihadeh said smiling. She was explicit in her belief that Bethlehem University cares deeply for the future of its students. “I love my university and think that it really tries to help support its students and graduates,” she said, citing Career Day as an example.

Sami El-Yousef, Vice President for Planning and Finance, also spoke during the opening, highlighting the success the University has had in providing its students with the required skills and qualifications that would enable them to be efficient workers in their life. “The feedback that we get about our graduates in the different fields is very positive,” Mr. Yousef said.

Ayham Al-Ayasa, BU ‘02, from the National Insurance Co. Ltd. said they participate in Career Day every year because they feel that Bethlehem University graduates are special. “We take this opportunity very seriously,” Al-Ayasa said, adding, “Last year we took three graduates.” Like the previous years, Al-Ayasa will have nearly 50 resumes to review before selecting graduates for further interviews.

In preparation for Career Day, the Counseling Office organizes on an annual basis a special workshop to provide senior students with training in CV writing and job-interviewing techniques to help them better “market” themselves to potential employers. Samer Halaqa, a fourth year English major, expressed his satisfaction with the training and agreed that holding such an event showed the University's commitment to its students.

The Counseling Office first introduced Career Day to the graduating class of 1995. Since then, it has become an annual university event organized by the Counseling Office in coordination with a committee representing different faculties and departments, and more recently in cooperation with the Institute of Community Partnership (ICP), which contributed to the CV workshop and the website where many participating institutions were previously invited to list their job openings. Graduating students were constantly informed about these job openings and came prepared to meet potential employers.