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Demand for outsourced skilled workers is rising in the UAE as construction companies with many projects in the pipeline increasingly prefer to outsource rather than employing own staff.
Correspondingly, manpower supply companies are increasing their headcount to cater to this demand.
Ajman-based World Star Holdings, which describes itself as manpower solutions company, with 5,000 workers at its disposal plans to increase its headcount to 6,000 to meet the increasing demand.
“The new trend is that construction companies have increasingly started outsourcing workers, which works out to a win-win for contractors and manpower suppliers,” said World Star Holdings chairman Nishad Hussain.
“Manpower companies had increased their headcount in the pre-pandemic period when construction activities were brisk. Fortunately, labour deployments were not severely impacted even during the lockdown and projects could be completed on schedule, including Expo 2020 Dubai-related projects,” he added.
“Now we find that the demand has gone up to the pre-Pandemic levels in tandem with the recovery in economic activities in all spheres. We also see a sustained demand in the future and hence we are increasing our headcount,” he said.
World Star workers have been deployed in the construction of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Metro, Dubai Frame and Expo 2020. Hundreds of workers are currently working in various parts of the country for Etihad Rail, one of the largest projects in the UAE.
The labour supply company, which sources workers from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, does not foresee any supply shortage. The demand is for skilled labour, technicians such as mechanical and engineering supervisors, civil engineers apart from unskilled blue-collar categories.
World Star Holdings is also increasing its fleet size to transport workers.
For the first time in the UAE, the company has installed free Wi-Fi and TV screens on their air-conditioned buses. Currently six buses are fited with these facilities, which will be extended to another 200 vehicles.
“During the commute to and from the construction sites, workers can make video calls to their families on the bus and enjoy music videos played on television screens,” said Haseena Nishad, Managing Director, World Star Holdings.
More than providing a comfortable journey, the business are also used to spread safety awareness among workers as the high-tech buses will also play awareness videos on workplace safety.
World Star Holding has set up an extensive facility at Al Saja'a in Sharjah to provide training and classes to the workers.
(Reporting by Bhaskar Raj; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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