There has been positive news about the UAE economy and a rise in employment so far this year, but certain sectors have been hiring more aggressively than others.
Emirates airline said in January that it plans to hire 5,000 cabin crew this year. At the end of April, the airline said it would continue to ramp up the hiring of pilots and increase their salaries.
With 65 new aircraft on order (delivery expected from the middle of next year), it’s a great sign from one of the UAE’s leading employers.
Hotel occupancy also shows no sign of slowing down, with many more properties opening across the Emirates and plenty of demand to fill inventory.
The travel and tourism industries are clearly benefiting from market conditions, so what does this mean for other sectors?
As a recruiter in the technology sector, I am witnessing a higher demand for talent in comparison to the same time last year, and a larger volume of new jobs coming in now than at the beginning of this year.
It has not been a slow start to the year, but many recruitment processes can take a while, especially when there are visa applications, security clearances and relocations involved.
In real terms, we are seeing new candidates placed in jobs now after hiring managers requested for candidates in December and January.
The good news is that with higher demand now than three months ago, we will continue to see more new jobs created well into the third quarter.
With Ramadan and Eid behind us, there is every reason to believe that the rest of this year will continue to be a busy one.
The biggest demand from our UAE clients is for tech professionals with niche skill sets in cyber and telecoms.
There is also a surge in demand from technology vendors looking to grow their sales teams.
Outside the UAE, we are also seeing demand in Saudi Arabia grow across all sectors.
The Emirates has ambitious growth targets and is seeking to double its gross domestic product to $800 billion by 2030, from $442.1 billion in 2022.
There is a long way to reach this number, but there seem to be no signs of a slowdown.
The government has also diversified its revenue sources, with oil accounting for less than 30 per cent of revenue in 2022.
Outside the tourism industry, there is huge investment in transportation, real estate, public safety and renewable energy, among others. As these sectors grow, so will the number of available job opportunities.
So, are we seeing a recruitment boom? I would say no, but we are seeing much more measured, sustainable growth based on a strong economy and healthy market conditions.
Periods of boom and bust are never good for the long term; being able to plan and forecast any business with steady growth is a far better strategy.
I have said earlier that companies over-hired post-Covid and this led to a downturn six to 12 months later. Fortunately, it seems like business leaders are reluctant to commit the same mistakes.
Of course, there may be more periods of decline in the future, but I doubt these will be as dramatic as seen in previous times.
We learn from lessons of the past, and as an emerging market like the UAE continues to grow into a more mature one, the outlook will continue to be better.
This region continues to be a very attractive proposition to both businesses and families from abroad seeking a better life owing to a great climate, quality of life, no taxes and family safety. These conditions are not likely to change any time soon.
John Armstrong is the founder and managing director of JCA Associates
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
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- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
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More on Quran memorisation:
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
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Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Walter Goggins
two stars
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