UAE- Jobs slowdown drives up demand for postgraduate study

4/13/2016 11:51:17 PM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) One in four Middle East professionals plan to take a postgraduate degree in the next two years many of them driven by a desire to improve their career prospects results from the latest research released by GulfTalent has found.

The findings are based on a comprehensive survey of 8000 professionals based in nine countries across the Middle East. According to the survey findings 16 per cent of professionals planning advanced studies are motivated by a desire to improve their chances of a promotion with their current employer while 17 per cent believe it will help them get a better job with another employer in the same field. A further 10 per cent see postgraduate study as a bridge to a completely different field of work.

While these motivations have always existed the slowdown in the Middle East job market following the collapse in the oil price appears to have accelerated the trend. Some universities interviewed by GulfTalent reported a surge in applications for postgraduate courses from professionals in the hard-hit oil and gas sector as many seek to re-train in order to switch to other industries.

Business administration is by far the most popular subject area for professionals seeking post-graduate study with 32 per cent favouring it. MBA specifically is the single most popular academic qualification targeted by over 10 per cent of professionals planning to study. On the other hand engineering and finance courses attracted 10 per cent and seven per cent of professionals respectively. Education ranks fourth overall although it is the second most popular subject among female professionals specifically.

Most professionals said that they preferred to study part-time in order to be able to continue to work and earn a living. Only 18 per cent of those planning to study would opt for a full-time course. Among those planning to study full-time the vast majority said that they would like to study outside their home country with the US Canada UK and Australia being the top four picks. The UAE was voted number five on the popularity list the only Middle Eastern country making it to the top ten study destinations for professionals based in the region.

According to GulfTalent's study the main challenges of postgraduate study for professionals are time and cost. Among those who reported not planning further study 38 per cent cited lack of time as the main reason while 19 per cent reported not being able to afford the cost. The most common source of funding for further education is personal savings cited by 68 per cent of respondents followed by scholarships at 15 per cent employer funding at seven per cent and borrowing at seven per cent. Only three per cent mentioned family as the main source.

Online courses have become extremely popular across the region thanks to the lower cost and greater flexibility they offer. With a growing number of online courses now fully accredited by reputable international bodies the main barrier to uptake has been removed. The most popular format favored by over 65 per cent of professionals are hybrid courses that combine online learning with some classroom attendance. Pure online courses are preferred by a further 18 per cent of respondents. Only 17 per cent would like a classroom-only format as these tend to be more expensive and require the person to take a break from their career.

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