The healthcare industry in the UAE and Dubai is one that operates to a high standard, and the latest figures regarding medical tourism – people coming to the region to be treated – confirms the high regard that the hospitals in the region are held in.

With top class modern machinery and attention to detail in working practices that are second to none there is little surprise that the quality of service is high, yet a figure of over four million people visiting the region to take advantage of the facilities is a colossal amount.

Jobs in the healthcare industry are on the rise directly as a result of the growing interest in the industry, and these figures – official announcements from the UAE government – hold great promise for prospects in the region in coming years.

In the Middle East there is on bigger player in the medical tourism market than the UAE and the value of the industry is some $1.7bn, a major contribution to the income of the region.

One hospital that offers such services, the Canadian Specialist Hospital in Deira, fields some 1500 US patients every month, and Chairman of the hospital Mohammed Rashid Al Falasi explained:

“Treatment rates in the UAE are lower than overseas hospitals. We have hospitals, such as the CSH, offering ultra-high standards of medical services that reflect the development of medicine in the UAE, as well as the world’s simplest and most positive healthcare regulations [in the UAE] when it comes to dealing with patients from all over the world.”

The health industry is a major employer of foreign nationals and growth is expected to be rapid.

The announcement that ITN, the UK news broadcaster, is to open an ITV office in Dubai is excellent news for the fast growing media and PR industry in the city and the rest of the UAE. With recent investment in the advertising industry in the region the presence of a worldwide renowned broadcaster will add to the cache that Dubai already carries in the media world.

With the intention of covering news from the Middle East, the Indian regions and Africa the new office will be a major centre for news in the region, and according to reports in UK newspapers is set to be run by John Irvine, newly appointed as ITN’s International Correspondent.

In an interesting contrast to the opening of the Dubai office it was also reported that ITN would be shutting the outlet in Johannesburg, South Africa, with the understanding that its operations would be covered by the new Dubai bureau.

Explaining the intentions and advantages of the location, Jonathon Munro, deputy editor for ITN news, told the UK Guardian newspaper:

“The strategic decision to open the Dubai bureau will improve our longer-term newsgathering and ability to get teams on the ground for breaking stories in a wide area from Pakistan to Southern Africa.”

The first new ITN overseas bureau since it opened a similar office in China in 2006, the choice of Dubai highlights the city’s perfect location and adds to the potential increase in opportunities for those looking for employment in the media and PR world in the region.

As Dubai undergoes a transformation from a minor player to a major force in the business world the need for good managers in all areas is constant. Management is something that has been handled in decidedly Middle Eastern terms in the region, but with the increase of Western style business – and the influx of western businesses into the region – the tide is turning and the prospects for managers looking for openings in Dubai are on the rise.

With excellent working practices and guarantees of excellent salaries this is a country that has always attracted the cream of the crop, yet these days the competition is even higher. To prove your worth in the Dubai job market you need a certain amount of proven success and a reputation that carries before you.

As Dubai is central to the growth of business in the UAE it is something of a hub for managers in many areas of business. Construction is a major business in the region and the banking and finance world holds great influence and shows great growth with many banks from foreign countries opening branches in the city, while the worldwide reliance on IT and telecommunications means there is much scope for growth in these areas.

With such rapid movement in employment in the region as we are seeing at the moment it is vital that good managers keep a constant eye on changes in the market, and with teaching positions to add to the popular industries mentioned above there are plenty of options.

The ongoing confusion that surrounds the telecoms industry in the UAE and Dubai is one of the factors why this sector of industry is facing uncertain times. With last year’s now famous ‘spyware’ incident that has led to an ongoing dispute between RIM – the makers of the Blackberry range of mobile phones – and the UAE’s Telecoms Regulation Authority leading to increased tension in the region the situation is not likely to be resolved in the immediate future.

The UAE TRA is very strict about what can and can’t be used in the information technology world in the region an governs with an iron rod; any Voice Over Internet Protocols services – such as Skype, so well known and used by Westerners – are banned unless they are used in conjunction with Etisalat or Du, the local providers.

However, the glitches in the development of these telecoms routes should be viewed as another hurdle to be overcome in integrating the Dubai way of life, and laws, with the increasing influence of western attitudes, and the industry as a whole is one that is experiencing a modicum of worthy growth.

Call centres in the region are very much in demand as technology takes a hold in many industries, while attempts by the likes of Google – major industry players – to implement its technology in the region continue. It will take some time but the signs are that the IT industry in Dubai is slowly becoming one of the fastest growing areas of investment.

As Dubai climbs back from the downturn in the economy that affected the world, so the number of opportunities for jobs increases. Foreign applicants in the HR and Recruitment areas of many different businesses are increasingly finding they are in demand as businesses in the Dubai and UAE regions look to hire the best people they can in order to facilitate maximum growth and efficiency.

Knowing what to look for in a potential employee is an art that is learned over many years, hence experienced HR staff are at a premium. With a particularly notable resurgence of the hospitality trade, and a number of new hotels complexes being built, there is much need for recruitment experts in the industry as new locations come on line all the time.

The same is true in the construction industry as bigger and bolder projects become reality; in particular road building is a major area where HR staff are required these days and the number of foreign workers in the trade is at an all time high.

Other industry areas where HR and recruitment staff are in great demand include the fast growing business support sector, with telephony staff needed in many areas, and also the banking industry which is experiencing a rapid influx of foreign banks entering the Dubai market.

Anyone who has experience in the recruitment trade would do well to look to Dubai as it undergoes renewed growth for the demand for staff at all levels is certain to increase.

The recent economic downturn had a heavy impact on the Middle East, and Dubai in particular, yet there are signs that the hospitality and travel industry is beginning to enter a period of revival. One indication that there may be signs of hope in what is a potentially huge source of future income for the regions is the announcement that the Al-Futtaim group, based in Dubai, may be about to resume work on the mothballed Dubai Festival City development.

The project, including hotels in the Four Seasons and W Hotel lines, was first mooted when the former agreed to a hotel in the development some six years ago, yet only now is there a sign of the construction actually going ahead. Nevertheless, this is good news for those who are looking for jobs in the hospitality and travel industry and may lead to a further awakening of dormant projects.

With the Hyatt Regency Dubai announcing a new General Manager in recent days and looking to continue its successful tenure in the city, echoing the recent move by Raffles Dubai, there are definite signs that the hotel industry is returning to its former glory. Dubai offers excellent conditions for holidays and is becoming increasingly popular with western tourists looking to sample the luxury lifestyle, and the prospect for jobs in the region is becoming stronger.

With the UAE embracing the idea of hospitality as a money spinner there is much scope for vast future expansion, and with that comes the promise of more jobs not only in the hospitality and travel trade but in engineering and construction too.