The UAE economy has performed well in the first three quarters of 2012 – and surprisingly much of this has been driven by good growth in Dubai’s non oil sector, according to a recent report released by Standard Chartered Bank. The three industrial areas in Dubai which are doing particularly well are trade, tourism and retail. Figures show that Dubai Airport passengers levels are up 13.7% and Dubai hotel guest levels from the GCC increased by 45%. Demand for services and tourism staff is expected to grow and we will expect to see a continuing influx of international workers into Dubai to start up a new career.

So, for you workers who are looking to take your first step into overseas working and are perhaps looking for an overseas assignment in the UAE, particularly Dubai, what can you expect from the interview process? Well, since you are going overseas outside your native country, recruiters and employees will not just be looking at your job related skills, they will also be considering how well you can adapt to working overseas and in a new social and business culture. In fact, I have even conducted a few of these types of interviews myself.

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Last week his Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, ordered the launch of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Award for Emiratisation.

Both public and private sector companies are eligible and the award is meant to encourage Emirates to work in fields where the emiratisation rate is low, and to encourage a national initiative for emiratising jobs.

To be eligible for the award companies must be developing schemes in strategic emiratisation plans and programmes, emiratisation leadership, training and empowerment of Emirati human resources, and emiratisation community initiatives.

This is great news for Emiratis as these criteria are intended to encourage Emiratis to work in fields where the emiratisation rate is low, and to encourage a national initiative for emiratising jobs.

A recent study reported in the Gulf News by The Boston Consulting Group, found that, while 85 per cent of leading organisations in the middle east view gender diversity as a top priority, only one in five companies have targeted recruiting strategies for female talent. The report highlighted the need for the role of women in the workplace to be more clearly defined in the Middle East to address the lack of women in management positions.

The report concluded that the UAE could play a leading global role in greater integration of women as statistics show that young Emirati women are better educated than their male peers and often demonstrate stronger work ethic.

This report should be good news for female Emirati staff as this report brings gender equality to the table — and so female Emirati staff can hope to see some positive action soon.

Bayt.com have just published the findings of their latest survey; ‘Women in the Middle East Workplace 2012’. This report focuses on what the working women of the region want, desire, and face every day. The results of this survey show that the women of the Middle East and North Africa are breaking free of traditional moulds to carve out careers that are both gratifying and rewarding. Women are playing an increasingly integral role in the region’s workforce, motivated by the desire for personal growth and independence. Key findings were:

• Six out of ten Arab women in the GCC choose to work to broaden their life perspectives
• More than half of women in Saudi Arabia are trying to break away from conventional roles in their desire for financial freedom
• 22% of women claim that they work more hours than their male colleagues
• 41% who feel that they receive less compensation than their colleagues

This report provides some interesting insight for Women in Dubai who are interested in developing their careers in Dubai and the Middle East. You can read the full report here on Bayt.com

Nestle has secured a 175,000 square meter plot for a manufacturing facility in Dubai World Central which will make nutrition, culinary and coffee products

Chairman of Nestle Middle East Yves Manghardt said: “Nestle is committed to strengthening our presence in the Middle East markets. We will continue to invest in projects that enable us to better serve consumers in the region, while leveraging the strategic advantages of DWC and the UAE in general as a distribution and manufacturing base.”

The new facility is expected to generate 800 jobs. For more information about when you can begin to apply for these jobs, please keep an eye on Nestle Middle East Careers Page

The University of Dubai (UD), a not-for-profit institution established by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, announced yesterday that it will be granting scholarships worth Dhs11.2m to the first 400 new eligible applicants during an Open Day event on Saturday, June 30, 2012. The event will be held at the Clover Creek Hotel on Maktoum Road, near the Clocktower.

Of the 400 scholarships, 300 will go to the College of Business and 100 to the College of Information Technology. To be eligible, applicants must meet certain criteria such as a high school score of 65% and above, official English scores (TOEFL 500 and above or equivalent) and official Math scores of 400 and above.

This is great news for Dubai based professionals looking to focus on developing their business and IT skills.