Youths put skills ahead of money

Emirati students and recent graduates took part in the forum held a day before the Emiratisation Summit. In a live voting session, the opportunity for growth and promotion was the most important element when considering a job offer for 30 per cent of participants; on the other hand some Emiratis thought that learning new skills is the top; work environment and culture was the main factor for some, as 10 per cent said salary first and the rest 2 per cent saw the working hours as the most important factor. Moreover voting showed that more students believed working in the private sector would present more demands than working for the government. The main fear about working in the private sector was competition for promotion and recognition; in the government, it was dealing with routine. Job fairs, career guidance and workshops with corporate guests are ways that universities can help to encourage working in the private sector. Nearly 70 per cent of respondents of a survey of Emirati youth consider factors other than salary and benefits to be the most important criteria when choosing a job, and getting a job is their most immediate priority after graduation, and their trend is toward growth and promotion opportunities, work environment and skill development when choosing between public and private sector positions.