Youths without ‘professional exposure’ could lose out on jobs, career experts say

ABU DHABI // Career and HR experts have said that employers looking to hire graduates want to see “professional exposure” in the workplace on a candidate’s CV, as well as academic credentials.

Without demonstrating experience of working life and the practical skills gained from part-time jobs and work experience, students could be overlooked for full-time jobs, they say.

"Top academic credentials alone aren't enough to impress employers any more," said Mike Hill, chief executive at Prospects, which runs the UK's leading student and graduate careers advice and opportunities website, prospects.ac.uk. "They want candidates to be able to demonstrate experience of working life, practical skills and to know you can cut it away from the comforts of student life.

“Working part-time, as work experience, or volunteering, are all great ways to help you to stand out and demonstrate your willingness to make things happen, which can make all the difference.”

Zack Abdi, managing director of the human resources consultancy Provectus Middle East, said many youths in the UAE don’t have the “street smart” of their peers in the Western world because of a lack of work experience.

“I, as an employer, know they don’t have many of the life skills or core skills they require for the job,” he said. “People want certain skills and you can only get those skills by working - it is as simple as that.

“It would be wonderful to see all the children get the opportunity to get in the working environment and also be given the opportunity to work as part of a team.”

Mr Abdi feels a lack of career counselling in schools contributes to the problem. Also, if they do get a work experience opportunity, many companies lack the formal structure to engage the intern and show what the working world is like, he said.

“There is no one to properly provide them with the development framework,” he said. “You sit there like a sack of potatoes for three months and finish your assignment and then you are back in the classroom. What did you really learn?”

With youth unemployment and underemployment in the Middle East among the highest in the world and a growing “youth bulge” in the UAE’s population, creating greater work opportunities through part-time job and internships is “critical”, said David Jones, CEO of HR consultancy The Talent Enterprise.

Research carried out by the company suggested many self-awareness and character strengths - critical for youths starting out in their careers - are low in the UAE by international standards.

“In many cases, private-sector employers are less interested in qualifications and increasingly focused on learning agility, resilience, grit, collaboration, self-efficacy, growth mindset and other employability-related character strengths,” said Mr Jones. “Early work experience and internships are critical in this regard.”

Mr Jones said that elsewhere in the world, most students gain some part-time experience by working in the evenings, at weekends or during holidays.

“Without it, the character strengths, employability skills and working values so prized by employers are likely to remain underdeveloped in this region,” he said.

Hamza Zaouali, managing director of Iris Executives, a recruitment company specialising in Emiratisation, said there needs to be a mindset shift to give both Emirati and expatriate youths more “professional exposure”.

He said companies believe there is not a lot of return for the investment when it comes to internships.

“The thing that is frustrating a lot of employers is that they feel they don’t really win anything,” he said. “The internships are one or maybe two months - sometimes just weeks - and by the time you train someone in any job, they are immediately gone.

“Internships haven’t really been promoted as helpful for both sides.”

newsdesk@thenational.ae

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially

On Women's Day

Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?

Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality

The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?

Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'

Nick's journey in numbers

Countries so far: 85

Flights: 149

Steps: 3.78 million

Calories: 220,000

Floors climbed: 2,000

Donations: GPB37,300

Prostate checks: 5

Blisters: 15

Bumps on the head: 2

Dog bites: 1

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Specs

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Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013

About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

LA LIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)

Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)

Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)

Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)

Sunday

Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)

Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)

Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)

Eibar v Alaves (7pm)

Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)

Monday

Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)

Expert input

If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?

“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett

“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche

“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox

“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite

“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy

“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra

Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Fixtures:

Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final

Table:

1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10

2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8

3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6

4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4

5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2

Company%C2%A0profile

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