November 19, 2018, Cairo – The American University in Cairo (AUC) celebrated today the launch of the University Center for Career Development (UCCD) at The University of Sadat City, funded by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The ceremony was attended by Menoufia Governor General Saied Abbas, USAID Deputy Mission Director Rebecca Latorraca, Sadat University President Ahmed Bayoumi, AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman and AUC Counselor Ashraf Hatem. Senior officials in Menoufia, and a number of university presidents and high education experts also attended the opening ceremony. The center, one of 20 centers in 12 universities throughout Egypt, is implemented as a part of the University Centers for Career Development project that offers a comprehensive set of career management services, trainings for employment and entrepreneurship to increase the graduates’ competitiveness.

AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman said:  "We are pleased to partner with the University of Sadat City to establish a University Center for Career Development that will contribute to qualifying students for the labor market and develop their employability skills, thus positively impacting the reduction of unemployment in the governorate. We thank USAID for funding this project that aims at spreading career guidance services in the Egyptian universities.”

Rebecca Latorraca, USAID Deputy Mission Director asserted, "Egypt's economy and future rely on the active participation of its youth. That's why for the past several years USAID has worked to create linkages between schools and the private sector so students are prepared for available jobs."

University of Sadat City President, Ahmed Bayoumi, said:  "The University has always served Sadat City community and has been an essential part of the revival of the promising agro-industrial city.  Today, as we celebrate the inauguration of the University Center for Career Development, we are not serving the students and graduates only by qualifying them and helping them become more employable, but we offer a service that will have a positive impact on the economy of Sadat City as a whole. We are delighted and proud of this constructive cooperation with the USAID and AUC."

This inauguration comes few weeks after the opening of two other centers at Mansoura University, making the UCCD center in Sadat University the fifth center of the University Centers for Career Development project. The project aims to reach around one million students in public universities in Upper Egypt, Delta and Greater Cairo.  It will help bridge the gap between university education outcomes and the needs of the labor market and industry. 

To ensure the sustainability of the career development centers and their career services, AUC team will train and certify the staff of the University of Sadat City as career service providers who are capable of providing career guidance services to university students.