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Jobs on the Rise in the Middle East | 2021

As we look back into 2021, here are the top 15 job categories driving the Middle Eastern job market:

1. Specialized Medical Professionals

Nurses and general practitioners are in high demand across the Middle East, as seen by the 112% increase in employment in this category. During last year, the United Arab Emirates began a countrywide volunteer drive to combat the virus, which quickly drew in over 1,000 volunteers (retired doctors, students, general practitioners, psychiatrists, and nursing staff). It’s worth noting that individuals employed had an average age of 31 and 41% had a master’s degree or higher education.

Top skills:

Nursing, Basic Life Support (BLS), Internal Medicine, Patient Safety, Healthcare Management

Common job titles:

Registered Nurse, Nurse, General Practitioner, Medical Doctor, Clinical Pharmacist

2. Digital Content Freelancers

For instance, The UAE created additional work licenses for international freelancers to help the local economy amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, increased online activity, the adoption of digital platforms across industries, and changing consumer behavior resulted in a high demand for freelancers and a 200% increase in digital content-related employment, with 25% of them available remotely. Bloggers, YouTubers, and podcasters seized these new chances and began promoting their own content online. This occupational category had a slightly higher average age of 29, compared to comparable markets such as Brazil and Spain, where the average age was 25 and 26 respectively.

Top skills:

YouTube, Blogging, Social Media Marketing, Creative Writing, Video Production

Common job titles:

Content Coordinator, Blogger, Youtuber, Podcaster

3. Healthcare Supporting Staff

While nurses and doctors fought COVID-19 on the front lines, healthcare support staff such as laboratory assistants and clinical managers worked on PCR testing and vaccine development behind the scenes. All of this effort and progress resulted in a 129% rise in the number of Healthcare Supporting Staff positions.

Top skills:

Hematology, Infection Control, Microbiology, Laboratory Skills, Clinical Research

Common job titles:

Medical Laboratory Technologist, Laboratory Assistant, Healthcare Assistant, Medical Consultant, Clinic Manager

4. E-Commerce

Despite the fact that E-Commerce in the Middle East has been progressively increasing year on year, the COVID-19 pandemic has made virtual stores the new normal for every small business trying to stay afloat. This explains why virtual store platforms like ishtari.com continue to attract new investors and strengthen the E-Commerce sector. The average age of those hired as E-Commerce Coordinators and Online Specialists was 29, with a Bachelor’s degree being held by 66% of them

Top skills:

Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), E-commerce

Common job titles:

Ecommerce Coordinator, Online Specialist

5. Digital Marketing Specialists

Companies rushed to capitalize on increased E-Commerce activity as online usage climbed year on year, with a growth of 71% employed into Digital Marketing posts in 2021. When you look at the social media usage by platform, it’s easy to see why social media-related occupations have seen the most growth. With a 51:49 female to male ratio, this sector saw some of the most gender-balanced hires, with the vast majority being self-employed or freelancers.

Top skills:

Influencer Marketing, Content Strategy, Digital Marketing, Market Research, Google Ads

Common job titles:

Digital Marketing Manager, Social Media Manager, Social Media Marketing Specialist, Marketing Director, Social Media Marketing Manager

6. Business Development and Sales Roles

While certain businesses, such as tourism, hospitality, and retail, were heavily damaged by the pandemic, others, including as software and technology that enable digital transformation, witnessed an increase in the region. To capitalize on this growth, additional salespeople were hired in the Middle East, resulting to a 74% increase in Business Development and Sales hires. The idea of allowing international investors and entrepreneurs to set up firms could be a contributing cause to this expansion. It’s also worth noting that 11% of the positions were remote.

Top skills:

Business Development, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Lead Generation, Team Management, Sales Management

Common job titles:

Business Development Specialist, Business Development Associate, Vice President of Sales, Sales Team Lead

7. Professional and Personal Coaches

Many of individuals affected shifted their career paths to become Professional and Personal Coaches as a result of various occupations being disrupted across multiple industries, resulting in a 207% increase in these roles compared to 2019. Women filled 61% of these positions, with the bulk of them being self-employed.

Top skills:

Life Coaching, Executive Coaching

Common job titles:

Life Coach, Leadership Coach

8. Creative Professionals

As an example, The United Arab Emirates is well-known as a major regional creative powerhouse, attracting talent from the Middle East and North Africa. UAE provided grants and other sorts of financial assistance to keep creative industries afloat during the pandemic. Freelance writers and video producers were in great demand in 2021, according to our research, as more businesses sought to improve their digital presence with high-quality content.

Top skills:

Video Production, Writing, Illustration, Graphic Design, Photography

Common job titles:

Writer, Video Producer, Fashion Stylist, Art Consultant, Illustrator

9. Education Roles

In 2022, there will be a 72% growth in education-related jobs, with Teaching Assistants in great demand at Universities. Women made up 67% of those hired in this category, with an average age of 27.

Top skills:

Educational Leadership, Curriculum Development, Instructional Design, Special Education, English as a Second Language (ESL)

Common job titles:

Teaching Assistant, High School Teacher, English Second Language Teacher, Career Counselor, Curriculum Developer

10. Language Services

When compared to 2020, this employment category grew by 134% in 2021, with Medical Interpreters and English Teachers among those who switched to a Translator role. It’s worth mentioning that women made up 56% of the Translators hired, with an average age of 29.

Top skills:

Translation, Proofreading, Legal Translation

Common job titles:

Translator

11.  General Business Roles

With many businesses having to alter their business plans to meet rapidly changing customer expectations, it’s no surprise that business-related jobs increased in 2021. The average age of those hired was 37, which explains why many of these job openings were for top management positions. A Master’s Degree or more was required for 53% of the positions, and 26% of the employees were female.

Top skills:

Business Strategy, Strategic Planning, Organizational Development, Leadership, Team Management

Common job titles:

Managing Partner, Outreach Manager, Head Of Compliance, Organisational Development Manager, Strategic Partner

12. Technology

The UAE is quickly establishing itself as a worldwide technology and innovation powerhouse, as indicated by the 61% increase in technology hires projected for 2020. Surprisingly, a considerable percentage of Technology positions, such as Frontend Developer and Technical Director, were freelance or self-employed. It’s also worth noting that in 2020, 78% of all hires were men, with an average age of 30.

Top skills:

Responsive Web Design, JavaScript, User Experience Design (UED), SASS, Web Development, User Interface Design

Common job titles:

Web Developer, Frontend Developer, User Interface Designer, Product Design Consultant, Cyber Security Analyst

13.  Specialised Engineering Roles

Engineering is one of the few ‘pandemic-proof’ occupational categories that has seen steady growth in recent years. Engineering jobs are expected to grow by 72% by 2021. Because this is a job area that attracts more men than women, it’s no surprise that men made up 86% of overall hiring in 2021.

Top skills:

Biomedical Engineering, Deep Learning, Audio Engineering, Marine Engineering

Common job titles:

Biomedical Engineer, Marine Engineer, Materials Engineer, Audio Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer

14. Finance Roles

With the economy in turmoil and financial markets unpredictable, financial professionals’ expertise was in great demand in 2021. This category has grown by 63%. The majority of hires were for senior-level roles, with a median age of 38 at the time of hire and a Master’s Degree or higher for 63% of those hired.

Top skills:

Corporate Finance, Financial Modeling, Portfolio Management, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Trading

Common job titles:

Corporate Finance Manager, Finance Business Partner, Equity Trader

15. Online News & Journalism

To stop the spread of the virus, countries in the Middle East decided to restrict the circulation of all print media at the outset of the pandemic. However, because to the constantly changing situation surrounding COVID-19, there was a strong demand for related news and information, leading in an increase in online media consumption and a 58% increase in hires for news and journalism positions.

Top skills:

Editing, Journalism, Television

Common job titles:

Editor, Journalist, Television Producer

If you are still figuring out your career path or are already an employee, who’s not happy with their nine-to-five job, our advice is to get involved in one of the above-mentioned fields of work. We, as Premiatek, are always on the lookout for skilled and talented Technology, E-Commerce, Marketing, Content Creation, and Business Development experts, and we rarely come across an impressive resume. So, make sure that you develop your skills and expertise, suitable opportunities will always be presented.

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