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Recruitment thrives in regional energy sector

Sunday, Apr 10, 2011

Gulf News

Dubai Graduates in search of careers in the energy sector are in luck as industry recruitment figures increase annually due to the growth of power needs in developing countries.

Joe Chalouhi, Senior Human Resources Manager for the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) at General Electric (GE) spoke to Gulf News about graduate recruitment into the energy sector.

“There is more demand for recruitment in the energy field every year as there is definitely an incline in the recruitment figures for energy professionals,” he said. “If we look at the power needs and requirements of countries, it’s increasing annually, so we are not really seeing a flat anywhere.”

Chalouhi added the Mena region is one of the world’s fastest growing blocks, with a population of more than 300 million, almost 70 per cent of which is below the age of 30, rendering the need for energy continuous.

“It’s needless to mention that two-thirds of the world’s crude oil is in this part of the world, not to mention the world’s largest gas reserves in Qatar,” said Chalouhi.

“So there will always be a demand for energy, which means new opportunities for graduates, as governments continue to partner with private and public companies to create jobs.”

“When we speak about energy it’s everything to do with power, including water, services, renewable and nuclear, which we are seeing advance in this part of the world,” said Chalouhi.

In 2010, Forbes magazine ranked GE the world’s second largest company, a company in constant search of fresh hand-picked talent.

Focus on GCC nationals

Chalouhi added that GE’s GCC graduate recruitment strategy is mainly focused on GCC nationals as part of a drive to invest in local talent and create lasting employment partnerships. “Every year we participate in career fairs, targeting universities across the region as we try to attract passionate students, looking for career development and growth.”

He said although the backbone of the energy sector is engineering, graduates who are not qualified in the engineering discipline still have an array of options to choose from.

“Entering the energy field doesn’t have to be all about technical skills; it can include areas such as marketing, sales, operations and back office jobs,” said Chalouhi.

“The most important thing is for students and graduates to know what exactly it is they want and plan it from the onset.”

Chalouhi advised youths to keep up with constant changes in the marketplace while at university.

“When we talk about innovation being a major driver for a lot of industries and an attraction for recruiters, students need to make sure they are open to sudden changes.”

For students and graduates in the UAE looking to launch a career in the energy sector, GE could be an ideal start as its Mena headquarters is in Dubai.

“We are not shy of bringing on interns as we are quite big on recruiting and developing fresh graduates through various training and leadership programmes,” said Chalouhi.

He added that the ideal intern candidates would show an understanding of what they want in terms of a career path.

“The type of intern we’d be looking for would come in with some visibility of what they want over the next three years.”

To apply for an internship at GE log onto: www.gecareers.com.

Every year we participate in career fairs, targeting universities across the region as we try to attract passionate students, looking for career development and growth.”

By Rania Moussly?Staff Reporter

© Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.