UAE jobs: Etihad Airways' recruitment drive in Dubai today; hundreds of jobseekers line up to apply

Hundreds of hopeful jobseekers flocked to a hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road for a recruitment drive by UAE airline Etihad Airways. Some arrived as early as 6:30am to stand in a queue to drop off their CVs for cabin crew positions with the company.

Ugandan national Sarah works as a hostess in Dubai and has been in the country for over two years. "I just dropped off my resume," she said. "If I get the job, it will change my life, but the competition is really stiff. There were hundreds of people, and many of them had experience as cabin crew. So I am not sure of my chance, but I am hopeful."

Men and women of diverse work experience, nationalities, and ages arrived at the hotel for a chance to be recruited. Etihad Airways had earlier advertised their open-day CV drop-off for freshers online. "Etihad is currently looking for talented people to join our team as cabin crew, pilots, finance specialists, software engineers and more. Etihad Airways offers a competitive benefits package for cabin crew that not only includes modern accommodation and travel allowances," the airline said in an earlier statement. A similar recruitment drive took place in June this year.

Brothers Farhan and Asad had travelled from Sharjah to apply for the job. The fresh graduates have been job hunting for over a year. "It is a tough job market," said Farhan. "We have attended countless interviews but have been unlucky. We are hoping that at least one of us gets a callback."

The airline industry has been facing a staff shortage and has struggled to cope with air travel resurgence post the pandemic when almost all Covid-19 restrictions were dropped.

Earlier this year, airports in the UK and other parts of Europe faced several flight cancellations and baggage handling delays due to inadequate staffing. During an earlier interview, Dr Ahmad Al Ali, the Vice Chancellor of Emirates Aviation Industry (EAU) had said it would be several years before the gap in demand in supply will be bridged. Applications to the EAU have almost doubled in comparison to pre-pandemic levels as hiring in the aviation sector has reached an all-time high.

Some arrived dressed to the nines, while others came in more casual clothes. Most candidates reached the hotel using the metro and walked a short distance from the Financial Center metro station. Dubai-based real estate agent Minna came in her flat sandals, expecting to stand a long time. "I was expecting a long day," she said while fishing out her heels from her handbag. "But the whole thing took around five minutes. I just submitted the resume and left."

Miko arrived from the Philippines on a visit visa in August and has been looking for a job since then. "I did not finish my engineering," he said. "So a lot of interviews I attended rejected me on that basis. I submitted my resume for the cabin crew position, and I don't know if I will be successful because there were so many others, but I am trying to stay positive."