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Don’t shy away from menial jobs: officials

SHARJAH — UAE nationals, both females and males, should have respect for dignity of labour and not shy away from any job, however menial it may seem, Salha Ghabesh, General Secretay of Sharjah Supreme Family Council, has said.

“They should not refuse to work in minor posts and should know that working in a genuine profession, even if they are minor jobs like watchmen, cleaners, plumbers and electricians which do not require education, is far better than staying at home waiting for a high salaried job,” Ghabesh told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of a women’s gathering at Sharjah Ladies Club. “The council is giving high priority to the issue of employing UAE nationals in minor posts since the UAE youth should not be ashamed of working in such genuine professions,” she said.

“I know it sounds very hard for some young UAE nationals to work in such posts which they don’t prefer. But they should know that our Prophets and our fore-fathers worked as shepherds and they were strong enough to face the challenges of life without feeling inferior to others. What mattered to them was their contribution to their country and not how much they earned. The new generation feels ashamed getting into these professions because they feel these are jobs which don’t give them respect, and can be done by labourers from other countries,” she said.

“The Council has started attracting young UAE nationals to such minor posts and we are urging them to change their mind-set on such jobs. A tall building can never stand so high without a concrete ground. We can never forget the strong and dominant role played by labourers from other countries as they have contributed to the success and prosperity of UAE. The time has come for UAE nationals to build their country with their own hands,” Ghabesh said.

At the meeting, Shahrazad Al Ansar, a volunteer with the Council, said : “Simple professions were a source of earning for our ancestors like diving and fishing, but nowadays, the young nationals are ashamed of getting into these professions. The massive response at the Sharjah Institute of Technology which accepts male students who complete grade 10 is proof that UAE nationals are willing to accept at least technical jobs like plumbers, electricians, car and air-conditioners mechanics.

Ihsan Mussabha Al Sewaidi, Director General of the Child and Youth Centre, said the Centre had a project to support needy families with low income in order to ensure their financial stability. “Through the project, we offer a supportive hand for productive families,” Ihsan said.

Hend Al Nabooda, Program Manager of Sharjah Television, said the issue of employing UAE nationals in minor professions was a big one requiring governmental support in coming up with job opportunities for them. UAE nationals must strongly believe that working in such minor profession was not disgraceful, but, on the contrary, it would only help improve their skills and experience in life.

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