Relevant specializations in the labor market contribute to localize UAE employment

The Necessity to Address Social and Cultural Obstacles Concerning Working in the Private Sector

An urgent response to the requirements of development "Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan" Supporting Education Outcomes of the Information Economy (report)

"The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research" directing students to the applied specializations

Relevant specializations in the labor market contribute to localize UAE employment

The Ministry is considered the leading force amongst its like federal government ministries and agencies in implementing the coveted objective and sustainable and comprehensive development, through a knowledge-based economy and cadres of UAE nationals achieving the ambition and vision of the UAE. The Ministry through various departments and under the guidance of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan has played a role in educating and familiarizing students in areas and specialties in demand by the labor market and scientific programs unfolding horizons for skill and capability development of Emirati students for the graduation of UAE nationals in the future State. His Excellency portrayed this aspiration by stating, "High on our list of priorities is supporting a knowledge-based economy through learning outcomes as a urgent response required to the phases of comprehensive development plans in the State, and continuing to progress towards achieving the vision of our wise leadership for the benefit of the country and its citizens in all fields of work”.

The Ministry embodies this through participation and sponsorship of job fairs, seminars and symposia dealing with the issue of relevant specializations for students, programs in universities, the need for computer skills and languages, since academic qualification alone cannot raise levels of performance. The Ministry encourages the "Advisory Councils" in institutions of higher education to become proactive in this area as was its sponsorship of the Exhibition of Western Universities 2013 with (38) participating institutions of higher education in the State and attended by (1500) students. The Exhibition aimed to instruct citizens and make them aware of the significance of choosing specializations required for the region’s present and future economy on the basis of the Western plan 2030.

The Ministry also calls upon all relevant parties to do their part in guiding and supporting students in selecting appropriate academic specializations at this stage in their lives arriving at a crossroads. Whether they are parents, academic counselors, educators in academic institutions or employers in different sectors, all are implicated.  Although the selection of an appropriate specialization is the most important step in the lives of these students, it is only the first step in solving many problems and obstacles to access advanced levels of comprehensive and sustainable development, and increase local employment, unemployment reduction, with (30) thousand Emirati citizens entering the labor market per year, in which the market average is (150) thousand job opportunities.

The problem is not restricted to unemployment and low rates of localization in certain sectors or limited jobs available in the labor market, but there are many challenges in the rapid population growth and social and cultural barriers that lead to low ratios of local employment in important sectors. Change and reform of perceptions of working in certain fields and in the private sector are essential, particularly since, there are several initiatives giving the private sector advantages that are almost equivalent to those in the public sector. Considering that local employment in the Federal Government exceeds (94%), this rate is significantly low in general, in sectors of health, education, media and applied sciences, and hitting a (5%) low in the aviation sector. Even though this sector provides (250) thousand jobs and is expected to provide the private sector with (350) thousand through 2020. The UAE employment rate represents (0.5%) of the private sector employment of (4) million.