Opportunities for next generation of Emiratis on display at London career fair

The UAE-UK Pioneers Forum was held amid the ongoing push to reduce unemployment and encourage more Emiratis to work in the private sector.

Amira Jassim, left, Maitha Al Awadi, centre, and Beshayer Alrum chat about the opportunities available at the UAE-UK Pioneers Forum in London, England. Stephen Lock for The National

Young Emiratis in London grab the opportunity to talk to the people who have the power to make their dreams, aspirations and career hopes come true.

LONDON // Mohammed Salman is not choosy about his future career – as an aspiring astronaut, he does not mind whether it is Venus or Mars he jets off to.

The 25-year-old PhD student was one of hundreds of Emiratis shooting for the stars at a careers fair in London on Saturday.

Organised by the UAE Embassy in London, the event put 750 Emiratis in the same room as recruiters from private firms and Government departments such as Etihad, the Armed Forces, and Majid Al Futtaim, the latter being the event partner for the UAE-UK Pioneers Forum.

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Mr Salman, who is studying robotics at the University of Bristol in England, registered his interest with the UAE Space Agency, which had a stand at the London fair.

“I have always dreamt of being an astronaut,” says Mr Salman.

“I really don’t mind whether it’s Mars, Venus, wherever.

“As long as I am involved in bettering our society through space exploration, I would be happy.”

Maitha Al Awadi, from Dubai, is studying for a master’s degree in filmmaking at Sussex University in Brighton, England.

The 26-year-old is looking for a job in film production, as part of her ambition to become a film director.

“You have to start small and make your way up,” she says.

“As long as I can get my dream to go to the Oscars one day.”

Ms Al Awadi hopes the number of opportunities in the film industry will continue to grow in the UAE.

“They’re getting more people coming in to do the films like Star Wars, Mission Impossible,” she says.

“So there’s a huge market there, but there’s not a huge market for local talent.

“So I’m hoping that will increase.”

The UAE-UK Pioneers Forum, now in its third year, was toured on Saturday by Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy.

He says a key aim of the event was to link students with private firms and Government bodies to discuss career opportunities available to them.

Mouien Al Madhoun, the chief human capital officer at Majid Al Futtaim, says the retail giant was looking to recruit 20 graduates at the fair.

“The talent is there,” he says.

Amal Ezzeddine, senior director for government services at Thuraya, says the Dubai-based satellite firm had participated in all three of the UAE-UK Pioneers Forums.

“There’s a lot of really good quality students,” she says.

About 18 per cent of Thuraya’s staff are Emiratis and the company is looking to boost that to 20 per cent by 2017.

Some of the companies participating were non government, which is significant given the UAE’s push for more Emiratis to work in the private sector rather than public sector.

Abdulrahman Ghanem Almutaiwee, the UAE’s Ambassador to the UK, said that the gap in benefits offered by the public and private sector – including pay and holiday allowances – was closing. “This has changed,” he says.

“Maybe when you work in the private sector you get more advantages and privileges.”

However, Rashed, a 21-year-old Emirati at the fair, says he would prefer to work for the Government.

“The working conditions are clearer,” he says.

“The public sector is much better.”

Mr Salman, the aspiring astronaut, has no preference on whether he works in the public or private sector, just as long as he gets to realise his dream of working in the space industry – and getting to travel to far off planets.

“When you go into space, a lot of astronauts describe it as an enlightenment.

“You get to see how we’re all one,” he said.

“I want to know what they’re talking about.”