Ask professional corporate recruiters what attracts them about graduates of the Asian Institute of Technology, and you’ll likely get two answers: English-language skills and an international outlook. It’s a skill set that sets AIT graduates apart from those other post graduate institutions in the country, they say, and positions them at the front of the queue in today’s competitive global job market. This was the consensus of many representatives of 28 companies who attended AIT’s recent Career Fair held on November 30th at the AIT Center Auditorium.
A large contingent of leading companies in Thailand recently made the trip to AIT’s Pathumthani campus looking to match their vacancies with some of the very best of AIT’s young graduates. AIT’s strong reputation for producing high caliber, technically skilled graduates is one obvious reason for interest by potential employers. But AIT’s commitment to the solid English-language ability of its students and its unique brand of multicultural education make it stand out in the eyes of many companies, recruiters said last week.
Indeed, AIT has always fostered an international, multicultural environment where all courses are taught in English. At any given time, nationals of about 50 countries comprise its 2,000-strong student body and 130-member faculty. Since its inception in 1959, AIT has produced more than 15,000 graduates from 79 countries.
Describing Maxim as a ‘typical silicon firm’ with a flat organizational structure that encourages an entrepreneurial approach to work, Promyotin said the ability of Maxim’s engineers to communicate in English is a huge enabler that can push forward positive ideas within the company. “The cultural diversity at AIT is as important as the technological capability it produces since it is something that inspires future innovation in the age of globalization,” Promyotin said, adding that Maxim and AIT make a good match.
First time participant Genesis Engineering and Technical Services Co., Ltd, based in Australia, has plans to expand operations in the region and was also attracted by the cosmopolitan mix at AIT. “A multicultural staff is a part of our forward strategy for growth,” said Genesis General Manager Dr. Abdul Salam, himself an AIT graduate, who added this is a definite value-added for AIT.
Indeed, many who set-up recruitment booths on campus were international giants in their respective industries such as in oil and exploration, engineering, steel, cement, banking, semiconductors, logistics, telecommunications, and consumer products. In addition to AIT’s long-time partners, new corporate faces joining the event were Sahaviriya Steel Industries Pcl., Amadeus Asia Limited, Planet T and S Co. Ltd., Siam Commercial Bank, DataOne Asia Ltd., Siam City Bank Pcl., GENESIS Engineering and Technical Services Co., Ltd., DEMCO Pcl., LOreal Thailand, Tatung, and Bombardier Transportation Signal (Thailand) Ltd.
It is also worth noting that some of the participating companies have recently partnered with AIT in many endeavors. These included Siam City Bank, which is AIT’s partner in the AIT-SCIP Platinum Card, pooling up funds for AIT scholarships; the Siam Cement Public Co., Ltd., with whom AIT recently signed an agreement that will facilitate recruitment of AIT students to be SCG employees; DataOne Ltd. which is a partner for the student laptop subsidy; and Bangchak, CUEL, Technip, and other oil and exploration companies who are supporting our Offshore and Technology Management program.
Whereas before, companies came to AIT Fairs only for job recruitment, this time, a majority of them had an equal number of opportunities for internships – and were actively recruiting current students for internships that last from 8 weeks to 6 months, often leading to permanent job postings afterwards.
Prior to the event, the AIT Career Center also held a number of activities that spurred a lot of interest from students. To prepare the students to meet potential employers and to assist them to make themselves stand out from the crowd, CV and interview techniques workshops were held on 15-16 November which were attended by 69 students. The Career Center then brought 16 students and staff to General Electric Learning Day on November 19th. From this activity, two students were short listed for the leadership program focusing on energy. On November 21st, Maxim Integrated Technologies held a Career Day which was attended by over 20 students. Maxim conducted an on-the-spot recruitment of over one hundred engineers at the Career Fair. On the next day, German giant Siemens conducted a Career Day which was attended by AIT 77 students, 20 of whom were interviewed for internships under Siemen’s SAP Learning Campus. Later the Aditya Birla Career Day was held on November 26th. Thirty-seven vied for positions at this firm, and eventually five School of Management students received internships under the company’s ‘Young Talent Management Program’. These five students will be sent to different companies of the Aditya Birla group in countries such as China, Canada, India, and Egypt, where they will spend 8 to 12 weeks working on a project of their choice.
The following companies at AIT Career Day have formally partnered with AIT:
- Siam City Bank is an AIT’s partner in the AIT-SCIB Platinum Card initiative.
- The Siam Cement Public Co., Ltd (SCG) recently signed an agreement with AIT to facilitate, among others, recruitment of AIT students, admission of SCG employees to AIT, and scholarship and internship programs for international students from countries where SCG has investments, such as in Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and development of executive management programs.
- DataOne Ltd is an AIT’s partner providing the laptop subsidy to students.
- Bangchak, CUEL, Technip and other oil and exploration companies who are supporting AIT’s Offshore and Technology Management program.
- Sahaviriya Steel Industries Ltd. and AIT are working on training programs and a management development program for executives.
- DHL and AIT are working on a long-term program, which will start with internships.