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Make the right choice
Looking for a job in sectors such as IT, oil and gas, real estate, education or even aviation? The UAE, with its booming economy, could be the right destination for you.
- By Neesha C. Salian, Staff Writer
- Published: 00:00 April 10, 2007
- Emiratis are entering the business community in a big way and also becoming more instrumental in the decision-making process.
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
The top career options in the UAE.
Looking for a job in sectors such as IT, oil and gas, real estate, education or even aviation? The UAE could be the right destination for you. A booming economy, demand for skilled professionals in diverse sectors and a tax-free lifestyle, has made the country a prime destination for job seekers from around the world.
The requirement for skilled professionals is especially pertinent considering that the UAE creates 800,000 new jobs every year (as reported in a Gulf News article published on December 8, 2006).
"The demand for skilled professionals is very high in the UAE due to the tremendous growth being witnessed here. A trend we are currently experiencing is that despite a massive demand for professional staff, supply is also at its highest levels. With hundreds of people arriving in the UAE almost every day looking for new job opportunities, the pool of talent is constantly increasing and becoming more highly skilled," says Bernie Luby, Communications Manager for Clarendon Parker Middle East FZ LLC, a leading recruitment agency that has been operating in the Middle East for 12 years.
Luby says that in terms of the industries that tend to pay high salaries and provide good benefits throughout the region, the top 10 (and not necessarily in any order), are as follows:
- Oil/gas/petrochemicals
- Real estate/property
- Private banking/ finance/ investment
- Engineering
- IT/ Telecommunications
- Automotive
- Aviation
- Education
- FMCG
- Pharmaceuticals
"The competition for positions in these fields is fierce but so is the demand, as these are high-growth industries in the region at the moment," says Luby.
Luby says that companies in the region generally have very high expectations of job applicants and expect agencies to be able to source these candidates from the local market, whereas previously they would have to look overseas for candidates with the right skill set.
This development has also increased the scope for the Emirati population.
According to David Walker, Graduate Employment Coordinator, Career Services and Alumnae Relations, Zayed University, the UAE Government is pushing for this through a variety of measures. "These include free education for nationals, more emphasis put on careers throughout university, incentives offered by the UAE's National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority, Tanmia and the Emirates National Development Programme (ENDP), which has been developed to enhance the employability of UAE nationals," he says.
Walker says that Emiratis are entering the business community in a big way and also becoming more instrumental in the decision-making process. Therefore, companies want them actively involved, particularly during business meetings and presentations. "The demand for Emiratis is also growing. Sometimes, we have more available opportunities for fresh graduates than we have fresh graduates," he says.
Educational institutes such as the Sharjah Higher Colleges of Technology are also pushing the cause. "We have a rigorous programme that has been developed to ensure that every student completes a full career exploration cycle. The programme begins in the first year (of their programme) and supports students through their different levels of education. Each student explores their personality and acquires life and job search skills. The service is well integrated into the curriculum and this encourages students to seek additional support in a friendly and professional environment," says Rafeef Dahir, Career Advisor, Sharjah Higher Colleges of Technology.
Importance of counselling
According to Dahir, the importance of counselling students in helping them choose a career is gaining precedence in the UAE. A step in this direction is the annual Counselling Arabia Conference. The conference promotes the latest techniques and strategies in career and personal counselling. The conference also provides an opportunity for professionals to collaborate and share experiences. This year, Dubai Women's College will host the conference on April 18 and 19.
Dubai Women's College also offers an Emiratisation Support Programme. The programme is designed to attract and integrate the UAE nationals into the diverse job market. The main objective of the programme is to offer assistance and strategies whereby organisations gain maximum value from the employment of the UAE nationals. Companies such as DHL, Jumbo and Jumeirah International have participated in this programme. The college also has a summer job programme for its students to help them get experience.
Claire Smith-Victor, Work Experience Co-ordinator, Dubai Women's College (Higher Colleges of Technology), who will also chair the Counselling Arabia Conference, says that sectors such as banking, especially Islamic banking, insurance, marketing and tourism are really opening up to nationals. "I see a greater shift among emirati graduates in choosing careers that support the government's initiative to involve more of its citizens in the private sector and in the running of the economy. Another positive trend is that there is an increased number of Emirati women who are choosing to work and/or continue further education after graduation rather than remain at home."
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