Emirati graduates struggle to reach first rung of jobs ladder

Visitors are briefed for jobs at an Emiratisation recruitment fair at Adnec. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Young Emirati graduates are struggling to find their first jobs despite a high-level drive towards Emiratisation.

Many say that from their experience some top companies are not implementing strategies to employ more UAE nationals, and they are disheartened by the slow process of trying to start a career.

They also complain that while the online platform of the Tawteen Council, the organisation that drives Emiratisation in Abu Dhabi, is useful for information on job vacancies, it is rarely updated and lacks follow-up and support.

F M, 23, is still looking for a job a year and a half after graduating in communication and media from a top university. Her degree, she says, “is made for people who are confident and social”, but she finds most companies offer office jobs that involve little interaction with customers.

M K, 22, started applying for jobs as soon as he completed his finance degree in June 2013, and is still waiting for a response from several companies.

“I was very excited and anticipated having a career,” he says, “but I did not receive any calls for interviews, just numerous emails asking me to wait for a month or two, or even wait until the new year.

“I had to do all the follow-up, and send regular emails reminding the companies that I had applied, and when.”

Both young people are registered with Tawteen’s online portal.

Even after registering with Tawteen, F M has been delivering copies of her CV by hand to companies with vacancies, but she has not even had an interview, far less a job offer.

“When going to Tawteen to ask about the issue, the response is ‘All you have to do is apply through our website, and if the organisation is interested, they will contact you. We cannot do anything more’,” she says.

“In my opinion, they should be putting more of an effort into helping graduates looking for jobs, since this is their main target.”

As a last resort, she called a radio programme that offers help to citizens and explained her situation.

“They said a lot of locals were facing the same problem and were still unemployed. They took my Tawteen file number and said they would try to follow up on my job status. That was more than six months ago.” M K is also disappointed with Tawteen. “I am a finance major and I know every company needs someone in my field,” he says. “The issue is, we don’t have the support needed from Tawteen.

“They do provide the platform, which makes the job hunt easier, but the procedures are still paused.”

Another graduate, S Q, 26, used the Tawteen platform for a few months before she lost hope. In the end she found a job through her own efforts.

“On the website, it shows you the jobs you have applied for. Then there are icons beside each job you applied for, showing what is pending, approved or rejected. I was just sitting and waiting for it to be updated,” she said.

The National approached the Tawteen Council for comment, but numerous phone calls were unanswered.