| Danial Norjidi |
UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD)’s annual career fair, the UBD CoNECT Fair 2017, was officially launched by Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education during an opening ceremony yesterday at the Chancellor Hall.
Targeted at fresh graduates, the UBD CoNECT Fair 2017 will take place until October 20, providing opportunities for visitors to have a closer look into the skills and qualities that employers look for as well as those needed to venture into their chosen industries.
Visitors will also be able to consult UBD’s representatives on the various career development options available to them such as open online courses, blended learning programmes, career services assistance and mentorship programmes.
In addition to CV drops and walk-in interviews, the UBD CoNECT Fair also enables future graduates and alumni who are actively seeking employment to go for career and CV consultations, as well as attend short mock interviews with the representatives of the university’s Career Centre, CoNECT (Centre of Networking, Employment and Career Training).
According to a press release, this is aimed at promoting the career services available to them as well as preparing those who missed the workshop held a week prior to the fair.
The UBD CoNECT Fair 2017 features programmes offered by the Centre for Lifelong Learning (C3L) such as 14-week short courses, Bachelor of Digital Economy and Master of Government. These programmes were designed and launched with feedback from relevant government and non-government agencies, and also the private sector.
The press release noted that UBD continues to develop new innovative programmes that equip graduates with the knowledge and skills, relevant to the current and future job market as future-ready graduates, who will contribute towards future national and economic development and Vision 2035.
Participating in the event are over 25 exhibitors from UBD, public and private agencies in Brunei as well as an international exhibitor, covering various industry sectors.
They include official partners; AIA BR-Kelvin Pong and Archipelago Group, DARe (Darussalam Enterprise), Brunei Shell Petroleum Co Sdn Bhd, Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre (PJSC), Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) and Royal Brunei Airlines (RB).
The press release notes that the increase in exhibitors in this year’s UBD CoNECT Fair is evidence of the strong connection UBD has with its partners within and outside of Brunei as well as its growing linkages with other industries.
Among those present at the opening ceremony yesterday were senior officials, and principal officers of UBD, representatives from other higher education institutions in Brunei as well as participating exhibitors.
CoNECT acts as a networking platform for students, alumni and faculties with industries and potential employers.
For individual students and alumni, for their interest, ambition and strength, CoNECT assists to identify relevant industries for them for internships and job opportunities. For faculties, all undergraduate and graduate programmes are continuously evaluated and made relevant to the current and future market needs, whereby CoNECT facilitates faculty engagement with relevant stakeholders and industries.
The centre also conducts and organises on-campus recruitment for industries, career and job search counselling, training on resume writing, interviewing, motivation, communication, leadership and entrepreneurship among many other skills as indicated by identified common skills gaps.
Gavin Crewe, the Manager of CoNECT in his remarks at the opening ceremony, “Building on the success of the last two years, this year’s theme is about career development and promises to offer opportunities for internship and placements, information on career development and skills courses, walk-in career clinics, entrepreneurship and a chance to meet and network with employers.”
“As a student, university life is not just about academic study, but involving yourself in as many extracurricular activities and experiences as possible,” he said, adding that these experiences can include internships, skills courses, volunteering and project work, part-time employment and engaging with UBD clubs and societies.
“Not everyone is lucky enough to have a clear career goal when they first start university but it’s never too early to think about the kind of job you think you would enjoy and at the same time contribute to the development of Brunei Darussalam,” he continued. “Today is a great opportunity to ask our employers what skills they are looking for, what life is like within their industry and what opportunities they have available.”
He noted the walk-in clinics on offer at the CoNECT stand this year. “Here you will learn how to prepare a strong CV and how to excel in an interview situation. On top of this, some of the employers are also offering walk-in interviews for you to be able to put your new skills to the test.”
Crewe touched on CoNECT’s redesigned portal with updated features and services, which now allow students to book into career guidance sessions, prepare for their future careers with a function called ‘Career Passport’, book into career events and search for internships and jobs. He said that there is also a vast amount of information and resources on career advice that is open to everyone, not just students and graduates from UBD.
He also shared that CoNECT recently completed a series of pre-fair career talks and clinics to help prepare students for the event, which served as both educational and motivational on a range of topics, including alumni success stories, improving CVs and interview technique as well as the benefits of an internship.
“UBD students and alumni will have the opportunity to find out more about services offered by CoNECT and also OARA, our alumni department, and how we can help you during your time at university and after graduation.”
“We hope you enjoy the event and take advantage of all the opportunities on offer and we look forward to hear your thoughts and feedback,” he added.
Those interested in visiting the UBD CoNECT Fair 2017 at the UBD Chancellor Hall are encouraged to register via the link and QR code which will be displayed at the venue.
Visitors are advised to download a QR code scanner mobile application through the Google Play Store for Android users and the App Store for iOS users.
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