Day two of the 22nd edition of Ru’ya, Careers UAE Redefined at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), continued to welcome young Emirati job seekers looking to connect with leading local and international organisations for career advice and job opportunities.
After a successful first day in Halls 1 – 4, day two of the event saw thousands more UAE Nationals benefit from the varied empowerment opportunities and advice platforms at the UAE’s leading recruitment, skills development and networking forum, which runs from 19 – 21 September.
This year’s Ru’ya, supported by leading Islamic financial institution and platinum sponsor Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), sees first-time participation from a number of new business sectors among its 100-plus exhibitors, including commercial real estate, legal, and healthcare, aligning with the UAE’s drive to diversify and grow its economy. New faces joined familiar local and international brands who return to Ru’ya year after year.
First-time exhibitor Al Tamimi connected with law graduates and spoke about the company’s reasons for deciding to make its debut at Ru’ya.
“We came to Ru’ya at the recommendation of some of our Emirati employees who have attended in the past as candidates themselves. They explained the value of meeting Emirati candidates in person and giving them a chance to showcase their knowledge and understanding of their respective fields. Being an Emirati home-grown law firm, we hope to connect with candidates across the legal and business services sectors to expand the Emirati presence in our firm,”
said Victoria Yates, Head of Talent Acquisition at Al Tamimi & Company.
Annually well represented at Ru’ya, the financial services sector continued to be among the show’s major players, with almost 20 banks and other financial institutions exhibiting.
As the company returned to Ru’ya for its 15th year, Rahim AlBloushi, Head of Markets and Securities Services for UAE and Regional Head of Corporate Sales, at HSBC MENAT, commented:
“Energising for growth is an important pillar of our global strategy and it encourages a dynamic culture where the best want to work and grow. We’ve been investing in and nurturing our local talent ever since we opened our doors 76 years ago and we’ve done that by developing programmes that cater to different sectors of the market, targeting both fresh graduates as well as experienced Emirati talent.”
New feature ‘Empower Her’, welcomed a number of inspiring leaders to Ru’ya for the first time. Nezha Alaoui, Founder and CEO of Women Choice, hosted a series of panel sessions and expert coaching opportunities. Day two heard empowerment tips from life coach Nour Karmustaji; and leader insights from Badreya AlMehairi, AVP and Senior Manager for Data Privacy and Information Security, Mashreq Bank and Sonia AlMarzooqi, an advisor to a multimillion-dollar pharma company and multiple startups, amongst others.
Young Emiratis were also able to get advice in the LinkedIn Hub on how to polish their profiles on the platform and secure 15-minute interviews with leading employers at the Get Hired! activation. Visitors also had the opportunity to listen to live performances by Emirati talent on The Stage, including an electrifying guitar set from Saif Sami.
At ‘Project You’, participants enjoyed workshops on interview strategies, and career planning on the second day, as well as immersive activities themed around STEM, sustainability, art and critical thinking. Ru’ya concludes on 21 September with ongoing employment opportunities around the event, and also a presentation of winners from the entrepreneurship competition The Next Founder, upcycled fashion challenge Fashion Reborn, and EV car contest Green Wheel. Performers on The Stage includes young inventor Ali Al Ali and musician Rashed Yasser.
News Source: Emirates News Agency