aud engineering students complete summer internship at union properties
In an effort to support the educational progress and development of undergraduates in the United Arab Emirates, Union Properties PJSC conducted an internship program for six undergraduates of the School of Engineering from the American University in Dubai (AUD). Under the supervision of the project managers on site, the summer internship program provided the interns with the opportunity to work on two of UP’s current developments, Index and Limestone House, both located at the Dubai International Financial Centre.
Simon E. Azzam, Chief Executive Officer of UP, who met with the interns during their training, commented: “Higher education is becoming a key factor in today’s highly competitive world, and therefore we are very pleased to assist with AUD’s internship program. On-site training will surely provide the students with an insight on the key challenges of the real world that will complement their theoretical learning at the university, and thereby prepare them for their future career endeavors as professional engineers”.
During the course of the program, the students were involved in various project related responsibilities at Index and Limestone House. Their roles included monitoring the work progression on the project site; issuing daily activity reports; reporting any necessary rectifications that needed to be done, and attending meetings with the project managers to gain more understanding on the daily decisions being taken.
“I believe the experience that was gained from working onsite is relatively different from our university coursework,” said Sanaz Ameri, one of the AUD interns. “There was more practical application and this is exactly what we needed at this stage of our learning process”.
Moosa Saeed, also an intern on the same AUD program commented: “We actually experienced our roles as future engineers from a project management perspective through dealing with different contractors and giving new ideas on project related aspects. Most importantly, this internship gave us the mindset we need for managing a project confidently from the planning stage to execution”.
“Internships allow students to apply theoretical principles learned in class to real life professional situations, and help them make the transition from an academic life to a professional one. They also promote connections between AUD and the UAE professional community and the larger global environment”, said Dr Alaa Ashmawy, Dean of the School of Engineering at the American University in Dubai.
The internship program is designed and aimed at giving students an in-depth view of the decisions and tasks that a property developer undergoes while executing a project, in addition to interacting with the necessary parties involved at different stages of the project lifecycle.
Fadi Sayegh, Internship Supervisor and Project Manager of Index and Limestone House said: “During the internship, the students learned the necessary communication skills that varied from business etiquette in a workplace to networking for information required to make the right decisions. The internship program at UP has prepared the students to engage in a real world setting with the confidence level they need.”
