"The driving idea behind this event created by Lebanese and for Lebanese living in France is to build a strong network to support students and young expatriates throughout their academic and professional journeys," says Elias Wehbe, a member of the FELF team, and the event's co-organizer since its inception in 2007.

For nearly 20 years now, this event has created a physical space where its young participants get the chance to network with established professionals, interact with inspiring speakers from various backgrounds, explore the industrial activity of national and international companies, apply for internships and job offers, and receive personalized advice from experienced professionals in a friendly atmosphere.

More than thirty companies and dozens of professionals took part in this edition, which brought together a hundred Lebanese students in France with executives working in companies from various fields: finance, auditing, management, engineering (mechanical, civil, computer, telecommunications…), law, health, biomedical, consulting, architecture, research, nutrition… and during which more than 25 professions were represented.

"As we noticed since last year, there has been a significant increase in demand from young people for certain fields related to civil engineering, architecture, marketing, but also for professions linked to new technologies, such as artificial intelligence [AI] and machine learning, as well as for computing-applied finance. We were therefore able to respond to this demand this year by increasing the number of companies in these sectors," explains the organizer, noting that unlike previous years, all the speakers and company executives who participated in this latest event — which he co-organized with Chloé Abi Raad — are Lebanese, most of whom were former job seekers themselves.

Challenges in the labor market

The French economy has been struggling for the past two years and as a result, getting a job has become increasingly more difficult, with below-average salaries that most job seekers are forced to accept for lack of options, Wehbe says. It's a situation that is sadly familiar to the Lebanese community, which has expanded significantly in France over the past three years, given the extreme economic downfall in Lebanon.

"A very large number of young students who left the country after the economic crisis, and particularly following the explosion on Aug. 4, 2020, to pursue their university studies in France, have faced significant financial difficulties due to the lack of money transfer and the limited liquidity available," he notes. Even graduating from a French institution still leaves students struggling to find a job.

"Meanwhile, professionals who had already started their careers in Lebanon have also been forced to leave the country. Today, they are obliged to undergo new training to reintegrate into the French market, hoping to eventually be recruited by companies," Wehbe explains. Other challenges faced by students seeking employment, or permanent contracts, include obtaining work permits that companies are reluctant to provide.

"But today, most of these Lebanese recruiters and company executives, who were themselves former job seekers, find themselves on the other side of the stage. Some have experienced the same struggles and anxiety faced by these young job seekers. They do their utmost to share their experiences, help, advise, and support young people in their first steps towards the professional world," Wehbe says. "Often, they offer internships within their companies, which may then lead to job opportunities."

Another service offered by this forum with experienced professionals is advice for crafting a solid resume and strong cover letters, essential conditions for standing out and applying for a job. Simultaneously, and always with the aim of facilitating the integration of these young people in their host country, the FELF has created a Facebook platform for posting and disseminating job offers and internship proposals, bringing together over 3,000 registered members. "It is this spirit of community support among Lebanese, in particular, that we strive to develop through this event, which has become a key meeting point for Lebanese students and young professionals in France," Wehbe says proudly.