72% of students to stay in UAE after graduating

Results from a study released on Sunday found students thought the UAE was an attractive place to work.

 As the UAE’s knowledge-based economy forges ahead on the eve of Expo 2020, it has become vital to understand what drives the future workforce.
Results from a study released on Sunday found students thought the UAE was an attractive place to work. The Qudurat Student Wave study was conducted by Aon Hewitt in conjunction with Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and covered 2,300 students from more than 15 academic institutions.

The study a part of the largest pioneering research initiative know as Qudurat, meaning capabilities in Arabic, is dedicated to understanding the strengths, preferences and orientation of higher education students towards the world of work. It also emphasis on understanding what drives and motivates Emirati talent.

72 per cent of the students surveyed said they intended to stay and work in the UAE after graduating. One in every two transnational expatriates who specifically came to the UAE to pursue higher education said they would like to work here after graduation.

Campus placements emerge as the most popular source for finding jobs among the students.

Emirati residential students reported a stronger preference for jobs in support and general management functions. Career opportunities emerged as the single most important criteria for expatriate students when selecting a job in the country.
Academic qualifications according to Emirati students should be the key differentiator in determining pay as opposed to the prestige of the graduating school or quality of experience among other things.

Presentation skills, teamwork and time management emerged as the three most prevalent training programmes provided to students.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of Tecom Holdings- DIAC and Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) told Gulf News: “Our objective in conducting such an incisive survey on diversity and inclusion is to serve our student community. In the UAE we have the highest concentration of international campuses anywhere in the world and we continuously improvise and examine the requirement for new courses in our attempt to bridge the gap between industry and academia. This year we have introduced 35 new programmes in response to the dialogue and discussion we had with the industry on their needs and expectations from fresh graduates. We are having this forum to share the outcomes of the survey with our academic partners and looking at how to develop entrepreneurial skills in fresh graduates, pinpoint the need for other changes and we intend to continue to gauge industry expectations and improve upon the capabilities of the workforce that is being prepared at our university campuses.”

The survey comprised of 57 questions including 13 demographic questions. The research design was based on five topics — self, career, others, study environment, and identity.

Dr Markus Wiesner, CEO of Aeon Hewitt Middle East said: “The Middle East is a unique labour market — policymakers, business leaders and HR professional must localise their strategy and approach to work within its context. The findings of this study will help employers understand the key engagement drivers for the new generation of national and expatriate talent entering the workforce and help derive an attractive value proposition to recruit, retain and engage university graduates in the future.”

Key findings
The study indicates a strong need for alignment and collaboration between industry and higher education institutions as they work together towards the broader objective of economic growth and human capital development.

Key points for higher institutions
A need for stronger strategic collaboration between the industry and the education sector is critical in driving long-term partnerships and placement opportunities for students, especially those with prior work experience.
Given the saturation of employment opportunities in the public sector, stronger inclusion of Emirati students in the private sector will be a necessity.
Higher education can play a stronger role in building acceptance of Emirati students for private sector work-life through internships.

Key points for industry
Stronger collaboration with higher education institutions is required, including hiring fresh graduates and nurturing them within the organisation, which will prove a cost-effective alternative to importing talent from other countries.
Attracting Emirati talent to work for the private sector has always been a key challenge for the industry. A more holistic employee value proposition grounded in providing a more fulfilling employment experience rather than just focusing on pay, will help support the private sector’s endeavours to attract Emirati employees.
Partnering with higher education institutions including providing curriculum advice to make programmes more relevant to industry requirements and increasing year-round visibility on the campus as well providing internship opportunities will help establish a robust foundation for attracting and retaining Emirati employees in the long run.

Gulf News Read More: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/education/72-of-students-to-stay-in-uae-after-graduating-1.1259228