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29 March 2024

Dubai students make quick buck...

Students working @ Gitex 2015. (VM Sathish)

Published
By VM Sathish

Gitex Shopper 2015 is proving to be a test ground for many school and college students who are working at the eight-day show as promoters, models and in many other roles.

Various electronic and computer dealers and brands present in Gitex shopper 2015 have deployed many smart, young students, enrolled in various educational institutions in the UAE to work for eight days.

While students make a quick buck, gain real life marketing experience in the hot gadgets markets in the region and seek the attention of potential recruiters who gives preference to candidates with prior marketing knowledge in the Gitex Shopper, brands get a pool of experienced young hands to do the show without affecting their normal business outside the shopper.

Young girls form the Philippines, India, Nepal, France, Russia and other nations are working hard for the brands that have temporarily enrolled them.

A young girl student from the Westminster School is among hundreds of girls and boys deployed to man the counters of leading brands and retailers.

Many of the merchandisers and brand promoters working on the floor are students who work temporarily for the eight day marketing carnival for electronics and IT products. From selling smartphones to electronic balancing wheels, girls are on the forefront of the marketing exercise.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, a group of students from Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Academic City, said they are working for the first time in Gitex Shopper. At least 50 students from the Indian management institute are present in the Dubai World Trade Centre, venue of the largest electronic and computer trading event in the region.

“I am in the second year of my MBA programme. Here I am working for eight days with a salary of nearly Dh3,000 plus incentives, if I achieve my targets,”  said Yeshovardhan Singh, Second Year MBA Student at the IMT Institute.

“It may not be big bucks, but we are gaining field experience in marketing new electronic gadgets and products, which will help us in future. I am also going around to see what is happening in major stalls of electronic retailers who are our potential future employers after we complete our MBA programme,” he said.

Haitham, a Syrian student of Ajman University, said he will earn Dh4,000 for eight days’ work and he has to skip the college to work part-time. “Many of my friends have appeared for the interview but only I am here,” he said, adding that it is a good experience to be in Gitex to meet new people.

From a small brand or company employing three students as promoters, there are big brands like Lenovo, which employs nearly 160 students to work as promoters. Many European students from Europe, especially France, and Russia enrolled in the Middlesex University are employed as models and brand promotion girls, said a counter staff in E-Max.

Safia Shamsudeen, a young Chartered Accountancy student of Phoenix Financial Academy, said she has been working as part-time promoter for Canon and it is the third time that she is selling Canon cameras during Gitex shopper.

“Earlier there were only one Gitex event in a year, but now it is two events in a year. I get a good opportunity to work and I come across many students here. My previous experience in Gitex shopper helps because good companies prefer student promoters who have previous experience. “Now the payment has come down from previous years. This year it is Dh3,000 for eight days and I will spend it on myself, shopping. Sometime we get incentives as well.”

“There are about 80 students form Heriot-Watt College who’tre employed by various brands here. Amity University is a major sponsor of the event and they have about 100 students working at Gitex Shopper. Similarly, students form BITS Pilani, are also working here,” said Pooja Singh, a first year MBA student of IMT Dubai. She is in the recruitment committee of the college.

“Our presence here will help us understand the recruitment trend, and gain first-hand experience in marketing. Different brands have different payment with international brands like HP paying Dh5,000 for eight days,” she said.

“I will spend whatever I earn here for buying something. I wish to buy an IPhone 6s Plus and I will use my eight days’ salary for it,” said Rishi Chadda, another student promoter. The management college is also encouraging students to work in the field and get picked up by leading companies and brands.

More than 2,000 people are working in various stalls and a majority of promoters are girl students from various schools, universities and colleges. However, they could not put an official figure on the number of students working there for Gitex Shopper.