LinkedIn, the leading professional network on the Internet, today unveiled the Top Skills of 2016 — the skills that are most sought after among global employers, and employers in the UAE and 14 other countries. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining topped the UAE list for the second year in a row.
The UAE Top Skills of 2016 are:
1) Statistical Analysis and Data Mining
2) Public Policy and International Relations
3) Algorithm Design
4) Web Architecture and Development Framework
5) SEO/SEM Marketing
6) Middleware and Integration Software
7) User Interface Design
8) Renewable and Sustainable Energy
9) Mining and Commodities
10) Corporate Law and Governance
The annual list is developed by analyzing all of the recruiting activity on LinkedIn since January, and uncovers several trends about the UAE job market. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining (No. 1) retained its top spot for the second year running and is one of six tech skills that makes the top ten list. In nearly every industry skills in technology are becoming a requirement, a trend that was echoed among employers worldwide. Algorithm Design (No. 3), Web Architecture and Development Framework (No. 4) and SEO/SEM Marketing (No. 5) all made the top 5 list proving that demand remains high for tech skills in the UAE job market.
Meanwhile Public Policy and International Relations (No. 2) kept its second place ranking demonstrating the importance that the UAE places on judicial matters. Corporate Law and Governance (No. 10) drastically jumped six spaces to make tenth place on the list. Notably, Renewable and Sustainable Energy (No. 8) made the 2016 list for the first time which can likely be attributed to the skills needed to help realize the UAE Government’s Vision 2021 goals of increasing the contribution of clean energy in the UAE.
Commenting on the findings, Nada Enan, Senior Manager Marketing & PR, MENA, LinkedIn said, “We see job applications spike on LinkedIn in October and our data shows that companies aren’t hiring at the same rate until January. While some skills expire every couple of years, the data we have strongly suggests that tech skills and skills in renewable energy will be needed in the UAE for years to come. Now is a great time for professionals to acquire the skills they need to be more marketable.”
To help job seekers gain the skills needed to secure the jobs they want, LinkedIn is holding the Week of Learning from October 24-30, and offering more than 5,000 courses — including courses that teach the Top Skills of 2016 — free to professionals. Professionals can visit the Week of Learning for more information.
“There are thousands of skills that members can add to their profiles, so we grouped these skills into several dozen categories. For example, skills like “Android” and “iOS” would fit into the “Mobile Development” category,” said the company in a statement. “Then we looked at all of the hiring and recruiting activity that happened on LinkedIn between Jan. 1 and Sept. 1, equaling billions of data points, and identified the skill categories that belonged to members who were more likely to start new jobs and receive interest from recruiters. Skill categories that did not meet a specific threshold for membership were excluded from our analysis.”
