Over 40 students and faculty from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) and the School of Business Administration (SBA) joined the Office of Employability and Entrepreneurship in Rabat for two days of meaningful networking at 14 organization sites. The event aligns with the growing recognition of the importance of networking for both students and organizations.
The purpose of Rabat Networking Days is for AUI students to visit organizations Face to Face and better and better understand what careers look like, and work environment vibes and connect with the Rabat diplomatic, communications, and human resource organizations.
AUI’s Chief of Employability Officer explained this pilot effort was designed to help SHSS students "off the mountain" and experience real-world Rabat work environments where diplomats and leaders interact with them face-to-face. "The Office of Employability and Entrepreneurship conducted a mandatory orientation session to prepare students and challenge them: Each student is challenged to connect meaningfully with 5 people from 5 different organizations who could accompany them as they discover their future(s) in Rabat."
The two-day event began with a private meeting by all with the Ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Morocco, Leslie Raja, who welcomed AUI students into the Philippines - in Rabat. After that, students traveled to 14 sites, meeting presidents, board members, managers, and team members. Students asked questions about policies, practices, and work environments. On December 1st, an additional 30 leaders and managers joined a networking reception targeted at students being able to meet, ask questions about careers, and build networking connections for research, internships, and future career choices.
Students visited: Embassy of Phillipines, SimSim Participation Citoyen, Tamkin Foundation, Mouvement Populaire, Parliament, Maghreb Arab Press, Huawei, AFD Tech, Digitis, Technopark-Rabat, Moroccan Forum for Young Journalists, and a historical visit to the Maroc Telecom Museum. Future visits will include additional party visits, additional embassies and NGO's - most of which hire our AUI profiles and all of which have valuable networks for our students.
Companies gave positive comments, such as: “Networking Days is a program that helps young graduates ask questions to potential employers about practical skills and hiring strategies to help them get into the field of development,” Elisabeth Vanness, AUI Alumni and Resident Program Director of the International Republican Institute in Morocco.
The success of the Rabat Networking Days sets the stage for a series of Spring events, with the next Rabat Networking Days scheduled for January 12-13, 2024, with a different set of organizations.