Thirteen companies attended Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar's first annual career & networking fair, IGNITE. The event, held on campus, provided students the opportunity to engage with professionals and learn more about job opportunities that might suit their skill sets. Carnegie Mellon Qatar understands that the process of securing a job can be difficult and have created this event in an effort to encourage students to begin their applications earlier. Participating organizations were accompanied by alumni returning to the university to advise current students. Organizations in attendance included Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros. Co. W.L.L, Al-Jazeera, Commercial Bank, Ernst & Young, Fuego, ICT Qatar, Henkel, Qatar Computing Research Institute, Qatar Mobility Innovations Center, Qatar National Bank and Williams Technology, Qatar Investment Authority and Ooredoo. As part of Carnegie Mellon Qatar's continuous commitment to prepare students for the workplace, the Office of Professional Development & Career Services also recently held an Alumni panel. At the session alumni Shivani Arora, an Analyst at Citibank, UAE & UK, advised students to make the most of networking opportunities offered by the university. "Participating in career fairs at Carnegie Mellon University Qatar is a great start. It won't necessarily guarantee you a job but it is a brilliant opportunity to network. The relationships you make will be useful in the future even if not for your first job search," Arora said.