More than half of the companies in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) are considering hiring in the next three months, the most recent Bayt.com Job Index survey shows.
In the UAE, 57 per cent of companies said they would “ definitely” or “probably” hire within this time frame, according to the poll, conducted by the jobs website Bayt.com and the research firm YouGov. Of those, 69 per cent said they aimed to fill as many as 10 jobs each.
The more desirable qualifications for job candidates in the UAE are those in engineering (27 per cent), business management (24 per cent) and commerce (23 per cent).
Employers preferred candidates with good communication skills in both English and Arabic (51 per cent), with leadership skills (49 per cent) and who were “team players” (45 per cent). Those with experience in sales and marketing (32 per cent) and with computer skills (30 per cent) were also in demand.
More than half of UAE respondents (54 per cent) believed that the country was much more attractive as a job market than others in the Middle East. The most attractive industries in the UAE were perceived to be banking and finance (34 per cent), construction (33 per cent) and oil, gas and petrochemicals (33 per cent).
Across the region, 30 per cent of companies said they were “definitely” hiring, with an additional 25 per cent “probably hiring” in the next three months. The country with the highest hiring expectancy in that time was Saudi Arabia, with 41 per cent of companies “definitely” and 24 per cent “probably” hiring.
The Mena country with the lowest hiring expectancy was Morocco, with only 17 per cent of companies “definitely” hiring, and 21 per cent “probably” hiring.
The majority of jobs across the region will come from the private sector. A total of 3,430 respondents participated in the poll which was conducted between June 12 and July 25.
lgutcher@thenational.ae
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
