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Half of Emirati students expect a starting salary of Dh15,000 to Dh30,000 a month, a study has revealed.
The survey showed that 20 per cent of expatriate students expect the same, while 58 per cent aim for a starting salary of up to Dh7,500 a month.
The findings were revealed in the wide-ranging What About Youth? survey of about 11,000 students at 16 universities in Dubai’s Academic City, including Heriot-Watt, Middlesex and Wollongong.
Of those polled, 52 per cent were Emirati, 31 per cent were from Saudi Arabia and 17 per cent were UAE residents from other countries. All those polled were studying in the Emirates.
Universities need to get employers on campus and tell students what it's like to join the workforce
The survey also laid bare how poorly third-level institutions were preparing students for the real world.
Only three per cent of respondents said they had received formal careers guidance.
More than 60 per cent said they depended on family and friends for advice, while 17 per cent said they relied on teaching staff.
At least 70 per cent want more guidance while at college, while half said they would not study at the same college again.
Experts said shortcomings in higher education were contributing towards graduates’ unrealistic expectations upon entering the workforce.
“Universities need to really ramp up the role of career counsellors,” said Marketa Simkova, from KPMG, which ran the survey with Dubai International Academic City, and the Talent Enterprise, a psychometric testing firm.
“If you look at well-established universities in the Europe or the United States, the role of the career counsellor is paramount,” she said.
“Universities need to get employers on campus and tell students what it’s like to join the workforce as this will help students understand the gap.”
The survey was carried out in several phases starting in 2018 and finishing in early 2020. A follow-up study is under way to gauge how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected young people.
About 43 per cent of respondents were women.
Central to the survey was this lack of proper career guidance. At least 40 per cent reported they had never taken career assessments and only 56 per cent had a clear plan of what they would do after graduation.
But about 84 per cent students said they felt hopeful for the future.
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“Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, youth nurture optimism about the future,” she said.
“The research suggests that students demand more career guidance, and employers can certainly play a role here.”
Ms Simkova said employers could participate in university mentorship initiatives and graduate programmes that could help them tap into available talent pools early on.
Radhika Punshi, managing director of the Talent Enterprise, said there was a disconnect between employer, educator and student.
Schools needed to work with universities to help young people make informed career choices, she said.
“When you speak with employers they say youth are not ready and don’t have the skills,” said Ms Punshi.
“Students in general have high expectations and they don’t have experience around what work would look like. Their expectations are a bit naive,” she said.
“We often hear students say ‘I have learnt in a two-month long internship what I learnt in one year at university’.”
The most popular areas of study for young people pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degrees were business and management. But the survey also found that 21 per cent students were interested in science-based careers such as engineering, technology, robotics and artificial intelligence, suggesting the UAE’s space programme was having an impact on choices.
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British Grand Prix free practice times in the third and final session at Silverstone on Saturday (top five):
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.063 (18 laps)
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.095 (14)
3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:28.137 (20)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:28.732 (15)
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.480 (14)
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
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Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
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Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
