As the UAE’s hospitality industry continues its rapid growth, it presents highly promising career opportunities for skilled professionals, especially Emirati youth. Hotels are increasingly looking out for local talent across operational and functional areas as part of their commitment to Emiratisation.

At the recently concluded NAJAH higher education fair in Abu Dhabi, Emirati job-seekers were seen showing a keen interest in hospitality-related careers, especially at the stand of the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management (EAHM), an integral part of Jumeirah Group and one of the Top 10 hospitality management schools in the world.

Dr. Scott Richardson, Executive Dean of EAHM, says: “While it is a well-known fact that the hospitality industry is the world’s second biggest employer, it is all the more relevant here in the UAE, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi witnessing impressive growth in hotel rooms, especially ahead of upcoming mega events such as Expo 2020. At the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, we are keen to support the UAE government’s drive to create jobs for Emiratis and we were impressed by the turnout at our NAJAH stand.”

According to a joint study by KPMG and International Hospitality Consulting Group (INHOCO), Dubai alone will have 100,000 hotel rooms by 2020, up by around 17,000 from the current count of 83,000, creating significant employment opportunities.

The study further reveals that the hospitality industry operates at a ratio of roughly one member of staff to one room.  More importantly, there is a huge need for management capabilities as roughly one third of hospitality staff are managers, thus offering competent professionals strong career growth prospects.

“With the many opportunities available in the hospitality sector, young Emiratis are starting to see the range of careers available to them,” said Dr. Richardson. “This new generation of employees are the future of the industry in the UAE and with the current demand for talent with industry-relevant qualifications, Emiratis can enjoy a successful and fulfilling career in the industry.”

The demand for qualified hospitality professionals is extremely high in the UAE. For example, the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management recorded 96 per cent employability rate for its graduates in 2017.

The UAE’s hospitality and tourism sector is a significant contributor to the UAE’s economy and a major employer. In 2017 it is estimated that the sector contributed over AED150bn to GDP (4.6% of GDP), and provided almost 570,000 jobs which represented 4.8% of total employment, according to a Knight Frank report.

EAHM offers Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA degree programmes in International Hospitality Management in academic association with École hôtelière de Lausanne, the renowned hospitality management school. The academy is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education, the Institute of Hospitality, UK, and International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education, Australasia.