UAE jobs: Mind the (skills) gap

Experts across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region have stressed the importance of properly utilising today's young workforce, especially as the region prepares to tackle the challenges stemming from the fourth industrial revolution.
The Mena region is endowed with a young, growing, and increasingly well-educated population, which, if skilled for tomorrow's jobs and offered new and productive employment opportunities, has the potential to significantly enhance the region's growth. Across the region, high-skilled employment stands at 21 per cent on average, while middle-skilled roles account for 66 per cent of all formal sector jobs. It was found that the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia lead the way in the local availability of high-skilled jobs.
However, the World Economic Forum's Human Capital Index finds that the Mena region as a whole captures only 62 per cent of its human capital potential, compared to a global average of 65 per cent.
"Our region, with its young population, stands ready to gain from its enormous human potential - but we need to do our part to make it happen. We need to do more to skill the population for jobs, now and in the future, and to provide the high-value employment this region needs to excel through the Fourth Industrial Revolution," said Omar K. Alghanim, chief executive officer of Alghanim Industries.
Job experts have predicted that one of the biggest challenges brought about by the fourth industrial revolution in the coming years, will be the automation of jobs across various sectors. It has been estimated that 41 per cent of all work activities in Kuwait are susceptible to automation, as are 46 per cent in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, 47 per cent in the UAE, 49 per cent in Egypt, 50 per cent in Morocco and Turkey, and 52 per cent in Qatar. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs analysis also found that few of Mena region's economies are fully prepared for the impending disruption to jobs and skills brought about by technological change. By 2030, the region is set to expand its tertiary-educated talent pool by 50 per cent. However, two in five graduates are out of a job.
Compounding the issue is the fact that across the Mena region, youth unemployment stands at 31 per cent and university graduates are making up nearly 30 per cent of the total unemployed pool. Young people are almost five times more likely to be unemployed than their adult counterparts in the region. In addition, the duration of unemployment for youth is longer than for adults, contrary to the pattern in other regions, with detrimental effects in the long term for the region's human capital potential.
"The data shows that, to prepare for the future of work, the region must take action to invest in talent, close skills and gender gaps and create high-value-adding jobs to unlock the potential of a young population and to equip economies to tackle the challenges of the 21st century," said Saadia Zahidi, head of the education, gender and work system initiative and member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum.
Lastly, it was found that even when skilled talent is present - particularly educated women - it is not being deployed effectively in the workforce. Women represent huge latent talent but workplace gender gaps remain high, ranging from just over 40 per cent in Kuwait and Qatar to nearly 80 per cent in Algeria and Jordan. Closing the gender gap would increase Egyptian GDP by 34 per cent and UAE GDP by over 12 per cent.
According to a survey by Bayt.com and YouGov, the top three challenges that women in the region face in their work environment are less opportunity for job promotions, stressful and demanding work environment, and a lack of sufficient job training and coaching. However, several agencies have taken steps to address these issues, including the Dubai Women's Establishment (DWE), which has launched a new strategy to help get more women participating in the job market.
"DWE has played an important role in Dubai's ongoing success story, by highlighting women in leadership and reducing the gender gap, and through our ongoing efforts in supporting key national priorities such as youth, happiness and innovation," said Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, president of the UAE Gender Balance Council and president of DWE.

- rohma@khaleejtimes.com