There is a skills shortage across the global engineering market.

The Middle East has a thriving engineering industry, but lacks talent on the necessary scale to expand as fast as it might. If the Middle East were to bring in additional workers from around the world, the industry would be even stronger.

In 2017, 65% of Middle Eastern business leaders believed there was a skills gap between what workers could do, and what businesses needed them to be able to do for continued growth. How did such a wide gap occur? And how can it be addressed?

Why Is There A Skills Gap In The Middle East?

Most skills gaps originate because the skills new roles require aren’t taught in the education system. With new technology and business practices being created all the time, the needs of businesses are evolving faster than ever. Potential employees are struggling to keep up.

Skills such as analytics and critical thinking are more in demand than ever, which aren’t always taught. These skills can be learned, leading some to believe that a wide-scale upskilling project could galvanize the existing workforce, making them more aligned to the needs of modern businesses.

But the problem goes beyond that: unemployment is one of the main barriers preventing the Middle East from further developing its engineering industry. More need to be done to help workers in the Middle East, while also ensuring the quality of work does not diminish.

How The Middle East Can Address The Skills Gap:

  • Understand What Talent Is Directly Available

First, businesses should look at the talent available to them in their country, both in terms of the existing workforce and those who will be joining it in the next five years, as this will help with long-term planning. This must be an objective analysis of the talent that is within immediate reach – can the workforce provide the skills the business needs to grow? If not, can anything be done to improve the situation?

Understanding supply and demand will allow the business to allocate resources to bridge skills gaps, or implement solutions through a recruitment partner.

  • Utilise Global Recruitment Companies  

These strategic partnerships allow businesses to access talent on a global level. This will allow them to develop and nurture reliable talent sources that can compensate for the diminished local workforce.

Specialist recruiters understand the needs of a business, why it struggles, and how best they can help.

Once talent is secured, it must be protected.

  • Retain Talent

Talent attraction and assessment must be closely monitored, and improved wherever possible. This is done by utilising the expertise of staffing professionals who specialise in the business’ specific industry. It’s important to retain as much talent as possible, otherwise your employees will be poached by competitors.

VHR can recruit engineers from all over the world, and has a track record of delivering sterling service in the Middle East, having worked in the region for over a decade.

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