Emirati jobseekers at Dubai careers fair embrace private sector opportunities

Citizens attending Ru'ya Careers UAE Redefined event say there should be no barriers to progress

Visitors attend the Ru'ya career fair at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

A flight simulator at the Emirates booth

Visitors at the ADIB booth

The Dubai police stand

Visitors at the ENOC booth

A racing simulator at the DP World booth

Interviews are simulated using AI

Young Emiratis attending a major jobs fair in Dubai say they are putting no limits on their career aspirations as they aim for roles in both the public and private sectors amid an evolving employment landscape.

Thousands of citizens are expected to take part in the three-day Ru’ya, UAE Careers Redefined event, which began on Tuesday, to apply for more than 3,000 positions on offer from about 150 companies.

The 23rd annual fair – which is open only to Emiratis and is being held at Dubai World Trade Centre – is providing a crucial platform for local talent as the UAE government steps up a nationwide drive to ensure 10 per cent of the private sector workforce is made up of Emiratis by the end of 2026. The number of Emiratis employed in private companies reached 113,000 in July, it was announced last month.

Emirati graduates and experienced professionals gathered at the exhibition space to submit CVs, talk to company representatives and take part in interviews.

While Emiratis have typically preferred to take up public sector jobs where salaries tend to be higher, the UAE's Emiratisation drive is helping to change attitudes. The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, also known as Nafis, was established in September 2021 to shape plans to improve local participation in the private sector.

Emiratis who work for private companies are eligible to receive a Dh7,000 monthly salary top-up under rules announced in November 2022. For Ahmed Al Memari, who works in the account management of DP World, the fair is a chance for him to assess his options, having already worked in the private sector.

“I worked for 11 years in Emirates Airline and have finished one year with DP World. I come to the fair regularly. I’m here searching for better job opportunity. I care about the salary, position, and the work environment,” Mr Al Memari told The National. “I don’t prefer a sector over another, it doesn’t matter.

“Emiratis have the necessary work skills. You gain more experience in the private sector and there is room for development.”

Ahmed Al Memari has worked in the private sector for more than a decade. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ali Khalid is currently in a wheelchair after being injured in a traffic accident. However, he wasn't put off on making his first visit to the fair. “I’m studying cyber security and I applied for jobs in the private and government sector. I don’t care in which sector to join as I’m looking for a job,” Mr Khalid said.

Seizing opportunities

Much has changed in the year since Jasim Al Ahmed, 27, was last at the career fair. “I was here last year as a job seeker looking for new opportunities and I managed to join Majid Al Futtaim Group. This year, I’m on the other side of the recruitment process interviewing job seekers,” Mr Al Ahmed told The National.

“I love dealing with people and meeting new recruiters to find new Emiratis. I’m telling the job seekers about my story to motivate them to join the group. When I was a student, I had the mindset of working in the government sector, but I joined the private sector because the gap between both sectors became small and you can get the same benefits and a chance to develop a career path.”

Mr Al Ahmed said Majid Al Futtaim Group, one of Dubai's biggest private sector companies and the Middle East's largest mall operator, was offering jobs for graduates, entry-level employees and executives in different fields such as retail and lifestyle.

“Many people applied this year as Majid Al Futtaim is committed to employing 3,000 Emiratis by 2026. The support of the government has pushed Emiratis to join the private sector.

“We have many initiatives in the group that support recruiting Emiratis in the group such as a UAE national leadership development programme. We plan to recruit more Emiratis because they have the required skills,” he said.

Manal Ali Al Soori, senior vice president for human resources at Emirates Group. Chris Whiteoak / The National

AI-powered recruitment

Emirates Group used artificial intelligence for the interview process to recruit the best candidates for the Dubai-based airline. Private booths were set up at the fair to record videos of hopefuls answering questions about themselves and their suitability for the job.

“It is a behaviour-based interview where candidates record a video and the AI will review the interview to provide recommendations to our recruitment team to pick the best candidates,” said Manal Al Soori, senior vice president of human resources for Emirates Group.

She said the company was looking to recruit citizens for jobs, from pilots and engineering training positions to jobs in data science, sustainability and AI.

She said citizens can also apply for internships within both Emirates and the Dubai National Air Travel Agency, widely known as Dnata, which is owned by the airline group.

“We noticed universities upgrading their capabilities when it comes to the qualifications they offer,” she said. We have seen a shift with Emiratis in terms of their mindset and their appetite to join either private entities or within the aviation industry.”

Saud Al Hamadi, 22, from Sharjah, who completed an interview with Emirates, said citizens have the capabilities to thrive in any sector.

“I’m searching for a new job, the most important thing is which place I will find myself. Emiratis are ambitious and they want to work in any job. They have the necessary skills to work in any sector,” he said.