The Ninth Job Fair at BAU

Beirut Arab University organized – and for the 9th consecutive year, its “Job Fair 2016” Under the patronage and with the attendance of HE Minister Sagaan Kazzi, Minister of Labor. The Fair that was at Debbieh Campus hosted 90 engineering, commercial, pharmaceutical, architectural, computer, banking, medical and other companies and institutions.

The Fair aimed at helping students to learn about the Lebanese job-market, the different businesses and their job-requirements, to open up training and job venues for graduates.

After the National Anthem and the BAU Anthem were played, Ms. Sandy Shaaban opened the event, stating that “the University fully supports its students’ journey, seeking to secure them with future careers and follow up on their activities and successes; for the success of its students is its own success.”

Prof. Adel El Kurdi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Head of the Organizing Committee, said: “We base our work at BAU on our conviction that the youth build the country. We are always keen on providing support and launch them into their careers. The organization of this Fair is but one aspect of this support, especially since the rapid developments in research, science and the technological and industrial revolution, necessitate that we adapt these developments to the job-market.”

Prof. Amr Galal El Adawi, President of BAU, maintained that the University, in the light of its commitment to the needs of the society, aims at enhancing the students’ academic abilities by providing them with training, opportunities to apply theories and venues to gain experiences. The University also introduces new fields of specialization in response to the job-market needs, and in accordance with the highest standards of quality as adopted by outstanding international bodies to offer BAU Graduates wider job-opportunities. Thus BAU introduced a number of programs to meet these aspirations, such as Landscape Design, Fashion Design Program, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Petroleum Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. The University has also attained a set of Academic Accreditations of a number of programs. 

Mr. Khaled Shehab, Head of the Engineers’ Order, reiterated that the Order seeks to identify the points of strength and to enhance energies that would promote the profession. Many laws have been issued to provide the necessary support for Engineers.
 
HE Minister Kazzi spoke next, welcoming the attendees and the organizers. He said that this is the second time that he proudly sponsor this Fair at this great University. The only difference is, that this year he misses the presence of an outstanding man, Mr. Issam Houri, the man who dedicated his life to this University, not only to its buildings, offices and premises, but also to its students and the generations of Lebanon.

He added, Mr. Houri distinguished himself not only through knowledge, but also through his ethics, patriotism, modernism and openness. However, leaving family and relatives behind is not to die. Every time we pass through the University, we remember this man who embraced the University since 1960.

Minister Kazi stated that the Ministry of Labor is in the service of the University to facilitate its administrative needs and any issues relevant to work and jobs.

He also expressed his belief that the University’s basic mission is not merely to educate Lebanese and Arab youths, but also to advise them on the professions needed by the job-market, for there are many certificates, but few jobs. There are many unemployed, and there is a minority that works. This is the result of failing to orient the youth towards the jobs needed by the market in Lebanon. He also said, “ we were the first to build bridges with Egypt through BAU, especially by receiving Egyptian staff-members who teach Lebanese generations, serve Lebanon, and preserve the true Arab face at a time when pan-Arabism and moderate Arab thought have been lost. You are the preservers of this Arab thought in the Arab World, not only in Lebanon. Allow me to congratulate you on your role as Egyptian professors in serving Lebanon”. 


Minister Kazi argued that the market is overloaded in terms of traditional professions, such as engineers, physicians, lawyers, pharmacists and journalists. It is essential to direct the youth towards jobs needed by the market in Lebanon. This is why the Ministry has recently conducted a study of the job-market, which may be made available to universities and institutions to help these in guiding their students.
 
Minister Kazzi also revealed that he is about to negotiate with the International Labour Organization to conduct a comprehensive study of the job-market in Lebanon, which has never been done in Lebanon before. He further found that the state does not provide sufficient guidance of schools and universities towards the job-market and what the Lebanese labor needs. He further added that Lebanon cannot shoulder this rate of unemployment. There are around 25% of the Lebanese youth who are jobless, and there are 346 thousand Lebanese citizens who have joined unemployment since the Syrian migration into Lebanon. There are also 1170 thousand Lebanese who live below the poverty line. The case is similar in the Arab world, where the unemployment rate in 2014 reached 22%, i.e. there are 25 million Arabs who are jobless. If the current state of affairs continues with no solutions or settlement, the number of unemployed youth will mount to 80 million. Hence the role played by universities is great, and the role of this University is of great significance.


Prof. Adawi then presented Minister Kazzi and Mr. Shehab, Head of the Engineers’ Order, with the BAU Shield of Appreciation. In turn, Minister Kazzi presented Prof. Amr Galal El Adawi, President of BAU the Shield of the Ministry of Labor. The guests then toured the Fair, together with the President, Dr. Omar Houri, BAU Secretary General, the deans, and BAU directors.