Dubai Internet City (DIC) is to focus on nurturing and attracting local start ups for future growth instead of multinational companies, says a report in the National. To sustain an ICT ecosystem, DIC is in need of start-ups and small entrepreneurs, said Mr Al Malek, the managing director at DIC and Dubai Outsource Zone

One initiative is the Majid Bin Mohammed Innovation Centre In5, an incubation centre which Mr Al Malek describes as the first specialised technology incubation within an ICT hub in the region.

DIC aids entrepreneurs through networking events, demo days, business guidance, investment,  and mentoring and support.

In the first half of this year, 85 new companies joined DIC, with similar numbers expected for the second half of the year. In 2011, there were 166 new additions, while 60 companies expanded their operations in the free zone.

So, if you have a great new idea for a business, why not put your ideas forward to the Dubai Internet City Innovation Centre and start on the road to a successful career as an entrepreneur.

Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company Win The Best Employer in Hospitality 2012 UAE Award Second Year Running

The Best Employers in Hospitality Awards 2012 UAE revealed the industry’s top employers at the Madinat Jumeriah in Dubai, on the 21st November 2012.

These unique awards reward and recognise the cream of hospitality employers judged by the people who know them best – their employees – via an employee engagement tool provided by – learnpurple.

At a celebratory awards ceremony the category winners and The Best Hotel Group Employer 2012 were announced.To a resounding applause, Copthorne Dubai picked up the best four-star hotel (small) award, while the Hilton Al Ain scooped the best four-star hotel (large) trophy. And congratulations to the Cavalli Club Dubai, who won the coveted best restaurant employer award. In the five-star awards, The Ritz-Carlton Dubai emerged victorious in the small hotel category for the second year running, whilst Le Meridien Dubai graciously accepted their win as best large five-star hotel.

January is known as the ‘moving month’ for job seekers; it is traditionally the busiest time of year for employers and candidates in Dubai, with all the major jobs boards seeing a spike in activity in January.

This means that many of you Dubai job seekers may be facing the exciting challenge of starting a new job in the new year.

And as, we all know the first few days and weeks of a job can be daunting and may present many challenges. In fact, a survey by Accountemps found that ‘Forty-four percent of employees and 60 percent of managers interviewed said mastering new processes and procedures tops their list of concerns when joining a company.

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Last year, GDP growth in the UAE hit 4.1 percent. That growth is expected to rise to 4.5 percent for 2012, according to the Ministry of Economy, which puts it well above the global GDP growth forecast of 2.9%.

These most recent forecasts for economic growth match earlier estimates. Back in September, the central bank reported that GDP growth in the UAE should surpass IMF estimates of 3.5 percent.

Explaining the optimism of such forecasts, the bank stated that conditions in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates, as well as rising oil prices, supported robust expansion.

As outlined in the Dubai Economic Outlook for this year, growth in Dubai was around 4 percent or higher. Abu Dhabi is expected to achieve similar levels, driven by recent decisions to move forward with landmark projects and boost industrial development.

This means that Dubai and the UAE are very strong economically and are excellent locations for you to start or continue your career.

The All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum (Akcaf) will organise a first-of-its-kind education festival — Akcaf Edufest 2012 — in Dubai to acquaint school and college students and their parents with the latest trends in career-based education.

Akcaf is organising this show on futuristic education and careers, in association with the UAE Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), at the Dubai Women’s College (DWC) campus in Dubai next Friday and Saturday.

Career Gurus

Akcaf is bringing career gurus like Syamala Elango, Dr Raju Narayana Swamy, Sangeeth Ibrahim, and Jaleel and they will talk about subjects such as effective parenting, managing the complexities involved in choice of careers, aiming high, how to achieve your dreams, embracing change, and getting prepared for tomorrow’s world.

The event will also feature a career open forum, educational exhibition, career expo, workshops on parenting and expert advise sessions. Please follow this link to find out more.

The advertising market has bounced back after being hit by the Arab Spring, with regional spending in the industry forecast to exceed US$5 billion (Dh18.4bn) this year, say executives.

Double-digit percentage growth is forecast for the Middle East and North Africa’s (Mena) advertising market, reversing a decline of 10.3 per cent last year, according to a poll of three major media agencies by The National.

Many companies are now increasing their budgets for online advertising. Starcom is expecting to double its digital advertising business every year for the next three years. Currently, digital advertisements make up about 15 per cent of its business.

Advertisers are also keen to tap into the smartphone advertising space, as mobile penetration soars above 200 per cent in many of the GCC countries.

Job Opportunities

This means that there is likely to be a surge in job opportunities for SEO and social media marketing professionals over the next few years in Dubai — making on-line marketing an excellent career choice in Dubai.