UAE | Education
Lack of language skills a hindrance
Nearly two years after graduating from high school, 19-year-old Samar Abdullah has not been able to find a job, which he blames on his inability to speak English.
- By Abbas Al Lawati and Marten Youssef, Staff Reporters
- Published: 23:32 October 18, 2007
Dubai: Nearly two years after graduating from high school, 19-year-old Samar Abdullah has not been able to find a job, which he blames on his inability to speak English.
Abdullah is one of many young jobseekers educated primarily in Arabic who are facing trouble in finding jobs in the UAE.
"I can't find work because every job I apply for requires English ... I can't count how any jobs I applied for and they all told me the same thing," Abdullah said.
Even for entry level positions, Abdullah can't find a job that does not require English. He started taking English lessons, but had to stop because he could not afford to pay for the lessons. "It's like a circle. I have to study English so I can work but I have to work so I can pay to study English," he laughed.
Bernie Luby, communications manager at the Clarendon Parker recruitment company, said that knowledge of English language is "paramount" for the company's clients, who span across various sectors, but that secondary languages such as Hindi or Arabic are often among the requirements set by employers.
"I don't think we've ever had any client ask for candidates that speak only Arabic. They either require English or English and another language such as Arabic," she said.
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Since the company attracts middle to senior level clients, the "language of business", English, is often the primary requirement, she added. "It's not practical for them to have someone who does not speak English."
'National nepotism'
S.H., a Dubai resident who helps high school graduates find jobs in the UAE, however, believes that Arabic speakers are not given enough chances in the job market here.
"There are enough job opportunities for Arabic speakers in the country, especially in the government sector and in jobs that require communication with that sector, but Arabs are still finding it difficult to get jobs," she said, placing the blame on 'national nepotism' among employers in the country.
"You'll find companies where employees from certain countries are favoured over others. There are also perceptions that some jobs are only reserved for certain nationalities."
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