Job Seekers’ views on internships
More than seven out of ten (71.5 percent) respondents said that, while at university, it was required for them to complete an internship or any type of practical training. At the same time, respondents understand the value of internships for the intern. 56.2 percent of respondents said it helps them “gain hands-on work experience”, 4.6 percent said it helps them “develop new skills and knowledge”, 4.2 percent said it helps them “explore their field of interest and career potential”, “1.4 percent said it helps them “network and build professional connections”, and more than a third (33.6 percent) said it provides all of these benefits.
On top of that, more than three quarters of respondents (76.2 percent) agree that internships “increase the job candidate’s chances of getting hired.” When it comes to what makes an internship more attractive, nearly two thirds of respondents (65.2 percent) said that the “type of company / field of work” was the main factor, 29.4 percent said that it depends on the “type of projects and job responsibilities”, and 2.6 percent said that it depends on the “ability to obtain university credit.”
Only, 2.8 percent said that compensation was the most attractive factor for an internship. In fact, 79.3 percent of those surveyed said that they are willing to complete an unpaid internship, compared to only 20.7 percent who disagreed.
“Young talent and fresh graduates looking to secure their first role should take advantage of the many internships, entry level jobs, as well as the job search tools and information available on Bayt.com,” said Suhail Masri, Vice President of Employer Solutions, Bayt.com. “Internships are a great asset for those trying to start and grow in their career and should be a priority when it comes to gaining experience and standing out in the competitive job market. Today, and on any given day, over 10,000 jobs are available on our job site, nearly 5,000 of which are suitable for young job seekers and fresh graduates. We are also launching a new job section of Bayt.com that is fully dedicated for students and fresh graduates to help them get an early start on their career planning and job hunting.”
Data for the 2017 Bayt.com ‘Internships in the Middle East and North Africa’ poll was collected online from May 24th, 2017 to July 30th, 2017. Results are based on a sample of 9,250 respondents. Countries that participated are the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Iraq and others.