AIUB Business Club (ABC): “CGPA VS Extra-Curricular Activities-Realities of the Bangladesh Job Market” Workshop with G. Sumdany Don
The tug-of-war between ‘CGPAs’ and ‘Extra-Curricular Activities [ECA]’ has been a point of debate amongst many for some time now. Getting good grades was always a must for most students; they’re brought up with an understanding of its importance in one’s future. But people have only just begun to grasp the significanceof co-curricular activities in adding value to one’s entire educational development, and not just their academics. Striving to achieve this balance has become a necessity to not just survive but rather succeed in the rapidly evolving job market today. AIUB Business Club’s [ABC] workshop “CGPA VS ECA – Realities of the Bangladesh Job Market” focused on that very discussion.
Arranged on the 12th of November 2014, the program played host to Mr. G. Sumdany Don, a celebrated motivational speaker, who discussed the value of excelling in both, especially given today’s aggressively competitive environment. The discussion emphasized on how the two counterparts are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary to one another. Dr. Ehsan Uddin Ahmed, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration [FBA] conducted the opening ceremony, with the presence of Mr. Abdul Kader Nazmul, the Undergraduate Program Director of FBA. Mr. Roomee Tareque Moudud, the Director of the Office of Placement & Alumni [OPA], also expressed his appreciation towards the club’s initiative.
The first session of the program focused on Practical Career Development that covered four main segments. The session started off by providing an understanding of the Bangladeshi job market with an overview of the current statistics like the ratio of the number of recent graduates to the number of jobs available. It also revealed the common recruitment practice of setting CGPA cut-off points for particular positions. The next session highlighted the power of ECA, part-time jobs, and even voluntary work that is seen as a differential point by many recruiters to set individual candidates apart from the rest of the talent pool. This was followed by shifting the spot light to individual motivation through an exercise that required audience participation. The students were made to realize how they themselves often limit their own potential, and how they can retract their trajectory to reach their goals.
The closing ceremony sought to acknowledge Mr. Sumdany for taking the time and effort to facilitate the program, with a token of appreciation, handed over by ABC’s executive members, on behalf of the club and AIUB. The event was applauded by all those present, and ended on a positive note that encouraged students to want to do better and exceed expectations in the future.
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