“UPSKILLS AND RESKILLS” – A CAREER ORIENTED PROGRAM AND MOCK INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY IT DEPARTMENT

The IT department of UTAS-Ibri organized a career development program titled “UpSkills and ReSkills” on 4th May 2023 from 9.45am to 1.45pm. A total of 64 students, 10 lecturers, 4 speakers including an alumni participated in this event. The objectives of the event are to fill the skills gap of the student community and to guide in preparing jobs and placements. Dr. Amal Bati Said Al-Abri, Head of IT Department inaugurated the event and presented the warm greetings and importance of the event to the student participants. Mr. Ahmed Said Sulaiman Al Gharibi, Alumni of the IT Department was the chief guest. His esteemed presence gave a good confidence on student participants to target their life goals. The first speaker, Dr. Wilfred Blessing N.R, Lecturer of IT presented a motivational session in two tracks. In the first track, the speaker explained the worth of “Self-Confidence” and its types. He focused and presented the tips to improve the optimal-type of self-confidence by targeting the student’s competence and preparation skills. In the second track, the speaker presented the “Role of Linkedin in Jobs Search” which is a professional social network to connect researchers, recruiters and trainers.
The second speaker, Mr. Junath Nasser, Lecturer of IT provided us with practical tips and insights on how to navigate the job market and develop essential soft skills for success in the workplace. He shared useful techniques for crafting a strong resume, preparing for an interview, and networking effectively. Additionally, the speaker emphasized the importance of developing emotional intelligence, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities to thrive in today's competitive job market.
The third speaker is, Mr. Ahmed Said Sulaiman Al Gharibi, Asset Controller (P&E), Special Technical Services Company, Muscat. He presented his job experiences with the students and explored the skills requirement for the job placements. He also shared the expectations of the employers. Finally, he presented his CV as a model and explained the strengths and things to focus. All the student participants worth fully interacted with the Alumni guest. The fourth speaker Ms. Sara Said Obaid Al Shukaili presented the CV writing tips. A sample resume was also presented for the knowledge of students. Particularly she presented the tips on how to write a resume. It includes, tailoring students resume, resume styles and sections, things to do before submitting the resume and ATS (Applicant Tracking System) algorithms - streamlining and bringing efficiency to hiring process, and top tips on how to prepare for the interview. As a final session, mock interviews were conducted by considering the requirement of Software Engineers/Developers for an IT firm. The mock interview panel was led by Mr. Abdullah Mubarak Mussabah Al Shukeily and Ms. Fatma Said Hamed Al Shamli. Mr. Ahmed Said Sulaiman Al Gharibi, Dr. Wilfred Blessing N.R, Mr. Junath Nasser, Ms. Sara Said Obaid Al Shukaili acted as members of the panel. All the students were accepted to watch the interview session. The student participants were able to identify the strengths and weaknesses through the mock interviews. Students participated and enjoyed the sessions with great interest.
The memento for the chief guest was presented by the HOS of IT Section Ms. Fatma Said Hamed Al Shamli. HOS of Math Section Dr. Pugalarasu Rajan graced at the inaugural event. The master of ceremony was presented by student Malaak Abdullah Mohammed Al Luwaihi. Welcome note was presented by Diploma student Lubna Humaid Rashid Al Shabanoti and vote of thanks message was presented by student Aicha Said Abdullah Al Zidi. This event was organized under the chairmanship of Dr. Amal Bati Said Al-Abri, HOD of IT Department and harmonized by Dr. Wilfred Blessing N.R, Lecturer of IT Department with the effective collaboration of OJT Committee, IT Society and ACM Student Chapter.