This is the first occasion in the history, that a world expo will be held in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, and South-East Asia) region. The theme for the upcoming Dubai 2020 expo is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”. The expo will run from 20 Oct 2020 until 10th April 2021.
There would be three key themes, on which the entire expo will be based namely,
- Sustainability
- Mobility
- Opportunity
Dubai is considered to be one of the world’s biggest business hubs, and this expo will open more doors to investment and collaboration opportunities in the MENASA region. The primary sectors which are going to benefit the most from the expo are real estate, retail, tourism, hospitality, aviation, transportation, engineering, and logistics. Other related industries that are likely to have a favorable growth opportunity as well are manufacturing, media, and education. It is also expected that the expo will create about 277,000 jobs in the UAE.
The job market in the UAE in the last two years has gone through a rough time due to challenging economic conditions but the job prospects have drastically improved in the last quarter of 2017. Based on a recent research it has been predicted that close to two-thirds of the employers will start hiring within the next six months.
Candidates will be required at different stages of the Expo starting from the preparatory phase to execution to sustaining growth. The rapid growth of the various free zones is evident of the fact that UAE’s resources have also been channelized into other non- traditional sectors such as media, arts, and design. Dubai is famous for its minimal tax rates, therefore there is already a greater scope for SMEs to start a new venture. Fashion is one of such sector. New designers and artists have a great scope of business in Dubai and to learn new techniques and art from the designers and artists around the globe. These sectors have already attracted major international companies to set up their Middle East base in the UAE over the past few years. All this has led to the creation of jobs across career levels in these industries. Skills in customer service, engineering, architecture, urban planning and infrastructure development will be in high demand during the preparation for Expo 2020.
Another sector, which can have business opportunities in Dubai Expo 2020 is the sector of freelancers. Content writers, graphic designers, gamers, software developers, etc. will all be contributing towards the successful outcome of the event.
Expo 2020 has launched volunteering opportunities for close to 30,000 volunteers who will be actively involved in the upcoming Expo. There will be more than 45 types of volunteering roles, from welcoming guests and guiding them around the Expo districts to managing events, with more than 16 million volunteering hours across 173 days. Volunteers will gain unrivaled hands-on experience, exposure, and work-ready skills as they help to put on one of the world’s largest events. Also, the volunteers have the opportunity to participate in the brainstorming sessions to generate ideas pertaining to Expo 2020’s key theme Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’; which is selected have a good possibility of getting implemented. It is an opportunity of a lifetime for young graduates interested in gaining experience from an event of such magnanimity. This opens up plenty of opportunities for them to gain experience and skills and be a part of an event of a lifetime.
JAFZA and Expo 2020 have also introduced an apprenticeship program for Emirati youth that provides on the job training opportunities in a variety of industries. The Ministry of Youth has been instrumental in providing this opportunity which will act as the first step towards a progressive career for young Emiratis. The aim is to provide an enhanced programme of more apprenticeship options that can boost the careers of increasing numbers of UAE graduates.
It is evident from the rapid advancement in technology, infrastructure and other industries that Expo 2020 will live up to its theme of creating more sustainable opportunities in the MENA region.
References
Emirates 24/7, 2017. Expo 2020 Dubai launches volunteering opportunities. [Online]
Available at: https://www.emirates247.com/expo-2020/expo-2020-dubai-launches-volunteering-opportunities-2017-10-17-1.660456
[Accessed 26 February 2018].
Kapur, S., 2014. Emirates 24/7. [Online]
Available at: http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/expo-2020-growth-uae-employers-hiring-now-2014-12-06-1.572341
[Accessed 28 5 2015].
Khaleej Times, 2018. New job vacancies at Expo 2020 Dubai: How to apply. [Online]
Available at: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/general/new-job-vacancies-at-expo-2020-dubai-how-to-apply-18
[Accessed 25 February 2018].
Masri, S., 2014. How Will Expo 2020 Impact The UAE Jobs Market?. [Online]
Available at: http://gulfbusiness.com/will-expo-2020-impact-uae-jobs-market/
[Accessed 25 February 2018].
Post written by:
Westford University College
Disclaimer: The facts and opinions appearing in the article are personal views of the author and not the official statement of Westford
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