Talented UOWD trio land jobs with stand-out firms

Sunday, 18 October, 2015

A trio of students for the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) have recently been successful in landing their dream jobs at some of the globe’s most revered companies. Khaoula Maliki, Iyayi Gameliel Ogbebor and Adeyemi David Adebanjo have all paid tribute to the role of UOWD’s dedicated Career Centre in their achievements , which has seen them secure roles at global media agency network Mindshare, international tobacco giant Philip Morris International and Khalifa Port, Abu Dhabi’s flagship deep-water port. Master of Media and Communications student Khaoula Maliki was selected for the role of Consumer Insights Executive at Mindshare before she had graduated from her degree. “I didn’t think I had the required skills or experience for the role having only just started my Masters degree, but the Career Centre encouraged me to give it a shot and apply for the position regardless,” Khaoula comments. The leap of faith paid off for the Moroccan, who made it through a challenging interview process and is now enjoying a varied role at the heart of the research department of the media network. “Media and market research is an amazing and constantly growing arena,” she remarks. “I have enjoyed being able to see through consumers’ eyes and understand their behaviour in more depth.” Khaoula is looking forward to furthering her career in a field which has a huge amount of potential and a promising future. For 25 year old Nigerian Iyayi Gameliel Ogbebor, his role at Philip Morris International has already seen him work across four different areas of the business: sales and merchandise applications, finance and HR and the commercial strategy department. After a fruitful internship beginning in September last year, Iyayi started a full-time role at the company as a Commercial Strategy Analyst at the beginning of this year. Having just completed a Masters degree in Engineering Management, Iyayi believes that his unique skillset, communications techniques and general competence were the factors that helped his success during the competitive recruitment process. “I heard about the position when I was contacted directly by Philip Morris International after UOWD’s Career Fair. I was attracted to the role because as a Commercial Analyst you can have an impact on all functions within an organisation. I really enjoy working in a team that constantly seeks new ways to help the business innovate” Iyayi said of his success. Master of Applied Finance and Banking graduate Adeyemi David Adebanjo is also thriving in his role as a Corporate Office Executive Assistant at Khalifa Port. “My strong head for numbers and logical way of thinking has really helped me to expand my role to encompass project management and financial modelling ” the Nigerian explained. “The support given by UOWD’s career department helped the recruitment process run smoothly and I can’t thank them enough for their efforts in facilitating the process.” Cornelio Gomes, UOWD’s Career Development Centre Coordinator said, “Nothing gives more job satisfaction than learning that UOWD’s students and alumni are thriving in roles at some of the most well-respected firms in the UAE. The three students mentioned are just a small number of a plethora of others who have been successful in securing their dream first step on the career ladder, which I believe is a huge testament to how UOWD is focused on understanding and meeting the demands of businesses in the UAE and beyond.”