By: Ibrahim Eldeeb
CAIRO, Mar. 11 (SEE)-The American University in Cairo (AUC) celebrated today the launch of the University Center for Career Development (UCCD) at The University of Sohag. The project was funded by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The ceremony was attended by AUC President Francis Ricciardone, AUC Counselor Ashraf Hatem, USAID Mission Director Sherry Carlin, and Sohag Governor Dr. Ahmed Al Ansary and Sohag University President Dr. Ahmed Aziz Abdul-Moneim.
The University Centers for Career Development project aims to give professional career guidance and employability and entrepreneurial skills training to bridge the gap between university education outcomes and the needs of the labor market and industry.
It will enhance students’ employability through employment fairs or job creation initiatives.
Ricciardone said, “We are pleased to inaugurate our new partnership with Sohag University in a project that is already empowering students in centers from Alexandria to Sohag.
Ultimately the UCCDs at national universities will positively impact the Egyptian economy by building communications between businesses and industries with their prospective employees – Egypt’s rising university students.
AUC this year is celebrating the centennial of our service to Egyptian Society. I want to thank the American people for their generous gift to the Egyptian people, to these UCCDs, through the US Agency for International Development," USAID Director Sherry Carlin stated.
Carlin added,“We are pleased with the opening of Sohag University Center for Career Development, in partnership with The American University in Cairo, as part of a plan to create 20 new career centers to serve more than 70% of all government university students in Egypt.
The impact of this project will go beyond helping the students but will also have a positive impact on linking universities to the labor market, reducing unemployment rates among graduates.
President of Sohag University, Dr. Ahmed Aziz, said, "The University of Sohag seeks leadership and progress and aims to provide an integrated educational experience."
Dr. Aziz added that the opening of the University Center for Career Development, in collaboration with USAID and AUC, comes as the latest achievement towards that goal. It will help the students to be ready for the labor market and become more competitive, an effective contribution to serve the local community in the government, and to serve Egypt.
The project aims to equip and prepare around one million public university students for the labor market with a comprehensive set of guidance and training in the fields of career management, employability skills and entrepreneurship free of charge.
The move will increase the competitiveness of graduates through 20 centers in 12 universities in Greater Cairo, Delta and Upper Egypt.
The centers in Minia, Beni-Suef, Mansoura, Sadat City and Alexandria Universities were launched the past few months. In order to ensure the sustainability of the Center and the professional services it provides, the AUC team will train and qualify the UCCD staff of Sohag University as Career Service Providers.
Through partnering with International Labor Organization ILO, the project will help identify opportunities and gaps in local labor markets to help universities accommodate for them in their curricula.
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