The UAE registered an impressive 18 per cent growth in its online job postings compared to the same period last year, representing the highest growth in the region, according to the latest data from Monster Employment Index (MEI).

In a clear sign that the UAE Government’s Education 2020 strategy is beginning to bear fruit, growth in online recruitment across the UAE was led by the education sector, which saw an increase of 19 per cent from Q2 2018, said the MEI data.

The UAE allocated $2.8 billion to education in 2018, representing 20 per cent of the federal budget.

The other booming industries in the UAE during the Q2 were production (including manufacturing, automotive and ancillary) at 12 per cent, along with oil and gas, and ‘IT and telecom/ISP’ at 8 per cent growth each, according to MEI.

Engineering, construction and real estate registered the largest decline at negative 19 per cent from Q2 2018.

From the occupations monitored in the MEI, marketing and communications (including arts and creative) saw the highest growth at 15 per cent, followed by hospitality and travel, and finance and accounting at 7 per cent each.

The UAE led the way for regional growth among the countries monitored by the MEI, followed by Saudi Arabia at 13 per cent and Kuwait at 10 per cent.

Oman was the only nation to show a slight regression in online hiring, with a 4 per cent decline from Q2 2018.

In terms of sectoral growth across the region, the IT and telecom industry saw the highest level of growth, up 18 per cent from the same period last year, followed by retail, trade and logistics at 7 per cent.

Roles in finance and accounting led occupational growth in the region with an astonishing 44 per cent increase from Q2 2018, followed by customer service at 30 per cent, it added. – TradeArabia News Service