49% of UAE respondents believe 'skills gap' exists

About 49 per cent of a survey respondents across the UAE believe that there is a skills gap in the market and 26 per cent job seekers in Middle East claimed that the educational system doesn't train students on skills which are relevant in today's marketplace.
In a latest study titled - The Middle East Skills Report, conducted by Bayt.com and YouGov, have also found that 65 per cent of employers at the regional level believe there is a skills gap in the market, while 7 per cent of employers said there isn't a gap, and 28 per cent said they did not know.
Employers and job seekers seem to be in agreement on the presence of a skills gap in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. The majority of job seekers (59 per cent) also think that there is a skills gap, while 11 per cent think there is not.
From a job seeker's perspective, according to respondents, the number one reason for not finding jobs fitting their skills set is a "lack of awareness" (33 per cent) of what skills are in high demand. This sentiment varies with age: 38 per cent among those aged 40+, compared to 34 per cent amongst ages 30-39, and 30 per cent amongst those below 30-year old.
Just above a quarter of job seekers (26 per cent) also claimed that the educational system doesn't train students on skills which are relevant in today's marketplace. This sentiment is more prevalent in North Africa (31 per cent) and amongst recent graduates (32 per cent).
Today's most demanded skills
According to employers, the top three most important skills for mid-career or junior positions are "teamwork" (83 per cent of employers said it is very important), "time management" (80 per cent said it is very important) and "written communication" (76 per cent said it is very important).
Job seekers also agree; 84 per cent said that "teamwork" is a very important skill, 83 per cent said "time management" is very important, and 79 per cent said "written communication is very important.
When it comes to senior positions, the survey showed that the top three most important skills according to employers are "time management" (89 per cent of employers said it is very important), "teamwork" (88 per cent said it is very important), and "people management" (87 per cent said it is very important). Job seekers are in agreement for senior positions as well. About 89 per cent said "time management" is a very important skill, 89 per cent said "teamwork" is very important, and 87 per cent said "people management" is very important.
Less than one in three (32 per cent) employers claimed that it is "very difficult" to find good candidates for junior or mid-career positions. On the job seeker's side, only a quarter (25 per cent) of them have claimed that it was "very difficult" to find jobs matching their skills level. - business@khaleejtimes.com