Dubai: A UAE national salesperson, is it possible? This is a question that Emiratis working in the retail sector say they are continuously faced with. Only five years ago it was very rare to find a UAE national salesperson, with the sector not popular among Emirati jobseekers. However, today more nationals are moving into this expanding sector. Gulf News investigates why more young Emiratis are moving into this sector and what challenges and encouragement they face in the retail sector.
With more UAE nationals moving into the retail sector, there is a clear indication that Emirati employment habits and norms are changing.
Although it is a very new trend, both government bodies and some national jobseekers seem determined to sustain and expand on this trend.
Traditionally the public sector was the most attractive job option for UAE nationals seeking jobs, but with the relative saturation of the sector, nationals have been encouraged to explore different career paths.
Several government policies have been issued in the last ten years to create a more friendly work atmosphere for UAE nationals in the private sector, such as the enforcement of Emiratisation quotas in certain sectors and more recently Emiratisation of specific job categories.
However, the retail sector has more recently attracted the attention of not only some UAE national jobseekers, but also governmental bodies working towards greater Emiratisation of the private sector.
Some 734 UAE nationals have been employed in the retail by the Emirates National Development Programme (ENDP) since it started its initiative in 2005.
However, the number is much bigger as there are others employed through the National Human Resource Development and Employment Authority (Tanmia), as well as individually.
With the increase in the sales sector, the number of Emiratis working in retail only looks set to increase. According to studies conducted by Tanmia, the growth in shopping malls in the UAE will increase by 190 per cent by 2010 and during this period retail spending is expected to account for 25 per cent of the UAE's Gross Domestic Product.
Promising field
Ahmad Al Tayer, Chairman of the Emirates National Development Programme said that the largest number of jobs have been created in the retail sector, therefore it is important to encourage Emiratis to embark on a career in this field.
"The retail sector is a very promising field for UAE nationals, especially for those who are graduates of secondary school or below, as skills required can be gained through training and experience," he said. Therefore, ENDP is trying to provide the right tools for those young Emiratis to enter this sector and succeed, he added.
Ahmad Al Ahmadi, Manager of Tanmia in Dubai, said that the UAE is seen as one of the most strategically important markets in the Middle East, achieving consistent growth year after year.
"We are trying to open the gates for UAE nationals in this important sector that has thousands of jobs opportunities which they can benefit from," said Al Ahmadi.
Tanmia has already facilitated the employment of hundreds of nationals in this sector. However, it is still a small number compared to the job opportunities available in this sector, he added.
JOB COURSES
'Mehnaty' training programme
A training course focusing on retail was launched in April 2006 by ENDP to prepare nationals to enter the retail sector. The 'Mehnaty' training programme was established with the help of Al Tayer Group.
The nine-week programme is designed to help young UAE national job seekers develop knowledge and skills, specific to the retail sector.
Participants undergo theoretical and practical training to experience the real-life working environment. The first batch of 22 UAE nationals graduated in May and immediately started work at various retail outlets managed by Al Tayer Group, such as Harvey Nichols and Areej.The second batch of 38 UAE national job seekers are expected to graduate on August 8 and seven companies have already offered jobs for the trainees.
More recently, Tanmia launched customised retail training programmes for nationals, aimed at preparing young job seekers to enter the workforce.
EXPERTS SAY
Ahmad Al Tayer, Chairman of the Emirates National Development Programme (ENDP)
"As Dubai has become an international destination for shopping and hosts many international brands, the retail sector is expanding each day and creating jobs. The majority of unemployed UAE nationals are secondary school certificate holders or below, therefore the retail sector provides a big platform for job opportunities for nationals. Our role is to set the stage for UAE nationals to enter this field, not by forcing the private sector to employ them, but to develop their skills and make them attractive to the private sector."
Azzah Al Sharhan, Director of ENDP
"In every new sector that Emiratis are exploring, there are some challenges which we need to overcome. The challenges are mainly trying to change the attitudes of the society towards this type of work. Mindsets do not change overnight and we need to be careful when dealing with social attitudes in general and family attitude more specifically. But I am confident that we will be able to change the mindset, and the retail sector will be attractive to many nationals. Not very long ago it was not a common thing for nationals to work in banks, but now this has changed. Emirati people are very polite and friendly and therefore positions in the customer service field might appeal to them and we just need to provide them with the right tools ... ."
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