Youths put skills ahead of money

About 50 students and recent graduates took part in the forum held a day before the Emiratisation Summit. They were from universities in different emirates. In a live voting session, 30 per cent of participants said the opportunity for growth and promotion was the most important factor when considering a job offer; 20 per cent said learning new skills was the top factor; while 18 per cent said work environment and culture was the main factor. Only 10 per cent said they would consider salary first. A mere 2 per cent said working hours were the most important criterion. Asked whether working for the private sector would throw up challenges, 81 per cent said yes and 13 per cent said no. Responding to the same question about the government, 40 per cent said yes and 31 per cent said no. The main concern about working in the private sector was competition for promotion and recognition; in the government, it was dealing with routine. However, as Ms Al Zu'bi pointed out, competition for government jobs will intensify as demand outpaces supply, and as the government moves into supporting less traditional industries such as media and hospitality as the economy matures. Abu Dhabi: a survey of Emirati youth found that nearly 70 per cent of respondents consider factors other than salary and benefits to be the most important criteria when deciding on a job. The survey, which was conducted in the capital as part of an Emirati youth forum, revealed that 30 per cent of the university students and fresh graduates polled place utmost importance on growth and promotion opportunities when selecting a job. Sulaf was speaking on the sidelines of the first youth forum that was conducted ahead of the annual Tawdheef Recruitment Show. The show, which begins in the capital on Tuesday, will see more than 2,500 job vacancies up for grabs. The vacancies are available at more than a hundred public and private sector organizations in a variety of industries, including finance, oil and gas, media, and health. Following the UAE government declaration of 2013 as the year of Emiratisation, this edition of Tawdheef will see a renewed focus on the recruitment of Emiratis. A number of positions will also be open for expatriates.