14% more graduates to enter UAE workforce next year

Dubai - Interdisciplinary collaboration and life-long learning in an increasingly digital work environment is the exciting future of work.

Many UAE employers are expecting the market to improve with up to 14 percent growth in the university graduate labour market in 2021, according to the Institute of Student Employers. Many recruitment tools have also already been moved online, said their report.

“Interdisciplinary collaboration and life-long learning in an increasingly digital work environment is the exciting future of work the next generation of talents shall be prepared for by universities and companies,” said Katharina Schäfer, global head of university alliances, SAP.

Supporting digital skills development for students and recent graduates, universities in the UAE are enabling faculty and teachers at educational institutions and partners around the world to educate young talents and help them to launch their careers in a new ecosystem. “The pandemic has thrown many challenges for graduate students but at the same time have also led to the acceptance of the new normal of ‘borderless recruitment,” explained Dr Arindam Banerjee, associate professor and deputy director (Dean) – MBA programmes director – student recruitment.

“Amid existing uncertainties, recruiters across the globe have gradually accepted the new normal of recruiting virtually. As a leading higher education provider, during the downtime, we collaborated with a leading soft skills training provider and engaged our students in a personalised online content to facilitate them upskill and re skill and be prepared for the changing job market.”

Virtual internships for students

Educationists aver they witness a “V” shaped economic recovery that will propel a rejuvenated job market across the globe.

“Two of our students who finished the programme amidst the pandemic in the month of April from our Singapore campus did a virtual internship post which they were interviewed using technological platforms with a leading third party logistics (3PL) company operating in UAE and been offered full time employment opportunity. The students will be handling supply chain solutions for two of the world’s leading automobile makers based in Dubai,” said Dr Arindam Banerjee, associate professor and deputy director (Dean) – MBA programmes director – student recruitment.

Meanwhile, even training institutes in the country are collaborating with established education brands and universities offering blended programmes, to make pedagogies more participant-centric and tweaking education strategies that’ll propel the student community to innovate for a better future.

Manohar Punjabi, founder-director and managing partner, Anisuma Training Institute, said, “The world of business is constantly changing and for career-enhancement, it becomes imperative to understand and apply those changes to stay ahead of the game.

People today must not only understand technology but also be able to create a strategy which is digital focused. Therefore, some of our new courses like ‘Strategic Marketing Management in the Digital World’ which is in partnership with IIM-Indore are focused on strategy for a digital world which will enable individuals with the tools and insights to create customer delight using technology.”

nandini@khaleejtimes.com