Healthcare workers in demand in UAE
The demand for healthcare experts in the UAE is on the rise, as the country steadily promotes itself as a hub for medical tourism in the region.
According to Monster.com's latest employment index the e-demand for jobs in the healthcare industry increased over 76 per cent year to date, while the demand for healthcare professionals in the UAE also exhibited an impressive growth of 66 per cent year to date.
"As the region continues to look for better talent in this industry, professionals with the right mix of expertise and skills are highly sought-after," said Sanjay Modi, managing director of Monster.com for the India, Middle East, South East Asia and Hong Kong regions. According to Alpen Capital, the UAE healthcare market is projected to reach $19.5 billion by 2020, achieving an annual average growth of 12.7 per cent, marginally higher than the GCC growth average.
"The Dubai Healthcare Authority has in recent years been promoting the emirate as a medical tourism hub, and I expect more investment in this industry to further stimulate the job market. In 2015, around 150,000 medical tourists used 1,400 of the emirate's 2,900 healthcare facilities, coming from with the UAE, the GCC, Asia and Europe. The DHA expects this statistic to increase to 170,000 medical tourists in 2016, with revenues of about $300 million," noted Modi.
Monster.com's index found that the UAE and Kuwait are the only GCC countries not witnessing a decline in job demand, with a respective growth in February 2016 of 45 per cent and 21 per cent year to date. While the healthcare sector recorded the most notable growth in online demand, the customer service sector followed closely exhibiting a 35 per cent growth, year-on-year.
In addition, software, hardware, and telecom continue to chart robust growth in demand, but at an eased-up pace. The long-term rate of growth moderated from 46 per cent in January to 28 per cent in February 2016. Online demand for HR & admin, on the other hand, was recorded as being down by six percent; while sales and BD was also down five per cent. The hospitality and travel segment, down 32 per cent, again recorded the most notable annual decline in demand.
The index also found that online recruitment activity in production/manufacturing, automotive and ancillary was up six per cent, and appeared to have rebounded as the sector registered the second successive year-on-year growth. At the same time, the related oil and gas sector was down 11 per cent and continued to exhibit negative growth on the year, but at a visibly controlled pace vis-à-vis Q3 and Q4 of 2015. Similarly, the BFSI and hospitality sector recorded fewer opportunities on the year yet again.