Abu Dhabi: Despite numerous initiatives to lure Emiratis to jobs in the private sector, few of them seek employment opportunity in it, Gulf News has learnt.

Out of 200 respondents interviewed, over 70 per cent of pupils and university students preferred a career working in government and less than a fifth (around 13 per cent) wanted to work in the private sector, mostly for an Emirati-owned rather than an internationally-owned company.

The results were part of a research study commissioned by British Petroleum (BP) and Oxford Strategic Consulting and announced during the second social investment forum held by the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development on Monday in the capital.

The study, titled “Maximising Emirati Talent in Engineering”, was completed in 2013 and discussed ways of boosting the number of UAE nationals in the private sector.

“Emiratisation polices and initiatives, such as Tanmia (meaning ‘development’ in English), Emirates National Development Programme (ENPD), Tawteen Council and Absher, seek to reduce the UAE’s dependency on foreign workers and permit more Emiratis to benefit from economic growth in the country,” Professor William Scott Jackson, chairman of Oxford Strategic Consulting and author of the BP-funded research, said.

“Despite numerous initiatives, very few — estimated as less than 1 per cent of the four million private sector workers in the UAE — were Emirati. The private sector does not do enough to validate the costs of hiring UAE nationals against expatriates, or to explain to young UAE nationals why they should not automatically seek employment in the public sector, widely preceived as valuable to the country, less demanding, and more secure,” Jackson said.

The forum also discussed ways of developing Emirati talent in engineering with a specific focus on the oil and gas sector.

“We are looking at ways to develop Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills in young Emirati talents. Equally, and in line with the Foundation’s Think Science programme, the forum aimed to encourage UAE nationals to both consider an academic career and a professional one in STEM,” Clare Woodcraft, CEO of the Emirates Foundation, said during the forum.

Although many oil and gas companies are putting a great deal of effort into Emiratisation, there are several factors limiting young Emiratis’ interest in oil and gas engineering.

“Many young people believe that oil and gas engineering is dirty, hard work and dangerous. They believe that a government desk job is the best career. There is little factual basis for these beliefs, but employers and educators are failing to give different messages in ways young Emiratis can relate to,” Jackson added.

The study showed that employers believe that young Emiratis are mainly motivated by money and a big job title, while in fact self-development and contributing to national success are deemed just as important by young Emiratis.

“Misperceptions on both sides are stopping private sector employers as well as young Emirati talents from engaging effectively. The private sector has to validate the costs of hiring UAE nationals and private companies should introduce more practical internship opportunities and link them with education at schools and universities,” Sultan Al Hajji, vice -resident of Total in the UAE, said.

The forum also discussed the great role oil and gas companies should play to attract more Emiratis and develop the country’s economy.

“Oil and gas companies can help the UAE make huge strides in national development by ‘fast-tracking’ national talent into both domestic and global leadership. In order to accomplish this, local talent must be prepared to assume leadership roles within the industry,” Jackson told Gulf News.

“Our research found that nearly 64 per cent of Emiratis must become leaders if all of the senior leadership positions in the country were to be filled by nationals. Once they assume these leadership positions, local oil and gas engineers can significantly contribute to the national strategy and promote leadership within the country- but this will take time, training and commitment from the industry,” Jackson added.