ABU DHABI // A year ago, Manea Al Ameri quit his job in an Al Ain factory where he felt isolated, neglected and unchallenged.
“I felt like a stranger in my own country,” said Mr Al Ameri, 22. “I was surrounded by expats and was the only Emirati technician there. They didn’t want to help me or train me and the salary was bad.”
He was one of thousands of talented young Emiratis who took their hunt for a brighter future to the three-day Tawdheef Employment Fair yesterday.
Mr Al Ameri is now completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, but people from all levels of education were at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre for the fair’s opening.
They visited hundreds of booths representing companies and government departments that were on the lookout for young Emirati talent to recruit and nurture.
The State Security Department booth was crowded with those holding high school diplomas.
“The military sectors are targeting high school graduates where they train and develop skills,” said Fatima Muhammed, event organiser.
Other companies were looking for people with specific skills.
Etihad Airways wanted candidates with a statistical and network-planning background, said Mona Walid, vice president of talent acquisition.
“We are looking for someone who enjoys working with numbers,” Ms Walid said.
Khaled Al Hosani, human resources administration manager at Petrofac Emirates, said his company was seeking graduates with degrees in business, engineering, human resources and marketing.
“We don’t have a specific preference,” Mr Al Hosani said. “We focus on Emiratis for the job. That is the main reason for establishing this company, to hire Emiratis.”
Formed in 2008, Petrofac is the first UAE joint venture company to provide engineering, design, procurement and construction services for onshore oil and gas, refining and petrochemical projects.
It also offers internships and a sponsorship for engineer students, Emirati and expatriate.
First Gulf Bank was at the fair to build on its impressive Emiratisation record. Almost a third of its more than 1,000 workers are nationals.
“Our vision is to create a pipeline to create an Emirati pool,” said Abdulrahman Saqr, senior vice president of human resources at the bank.
The company was looking for fresh graduates, experienced people and those willing to work and study at the same time.
Engineers and architects were in high demand at the fair.
Etihad Rail, created in 2009, is looking for experienced employees who can help to establish the company, said Mohammed Al Marzouqi, its executive director. Thirty-five per cent of employees are Emirati.
“We are targeting 40 per cent,” Mr Al Marzouqi said. “We want to be in line with Emiratisation.”
Several graduates said they had interest in the oil and gas sector
Mahra Al Messabi, who graduated this month with a bachelor’s degree in human resources, said: “This sector is more stable economically and I can guarantee a good salary.”
But many graduates are finding that employers seek specific talents.
“I would rather do something I know,” said Ahmed Al Baloushi, 23, who has a bachelor’s degree in media studies and is looking for an administrative job. “But most companies want engineers or technicians.”
Mr Al Baloushi said this is his fourth jobs exhibition in two years.
“I applied to both private and public sectors, even in hotels,” he said.
His frustration was echoed by Badreya Salem, 23, who graduated in 2011 with a diploma in business studies, and has been looking for a job ever since.
“I applied to many companies, (but) they don’t want a diploma,” Ms Salem said. “And I don’t want to complete my studies.”
She said she preferred the public sector because of the pay, but would take whatever job she could get.
“Maybe if I got a job I would be motivated to continue my studies.”
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aalhameli@thenational.ae
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
INFO
What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.
Naga
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
