UAE employees most skilled in Arab world, report says
Employees in the UAE are the most skilled in the Arab world especially in the new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.
According to Global Skills Report 2025 released by Coursera on Wednesday, Gen AI enrollments surged 344 per cent in the UAE and 165 per cent in Saudi Arabia year-on-year, with learner behaviour aligning with significant region-wide investments in AI and other digital technologies.
Ranked 38th globally, the UAE has been placed second in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, followed by Qatar (40th), Bahrain (51st), Saudi Arabia (54th), Kuwait (69th), Morocco (71st), Tunisia (73rd), Oman (75th) and Jordan (83rd).
Notably, the UAE is even ranked higher on the AI Maturity Index, placed at 32nd place.
'The UAE is positioning itself for a technology-driven future, with 87 per cent of employers emphasising technological literacy, AI, and big data as their top priorities. Notably, 13 per cent of UAE's labour force actively trains on Coursera — the highest in the region among spotlight countries — showing widespread enthusiasm for digital upskilling,' it said.
The nation aims to be a knowledge-based economy driven by skilled talent, attracting more professionals than blue-collar workers.
As reported by Khaleej Times, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said the UAE will become a leading global hub for the new economy in the next years on the back of legislative developments and economic policies adopted by the country over the past few years.
'We now have an ambitious vision, which is to build a national economy based on knowledge and innovation by the next decade, to become a strong driver in achieving comprehensive development for the UAE, and to contribute in achieving the sustainable development goals,' he said during the Sharjah Investment Forum last year.
Mohamed Al Shorafa, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, also said at a forum in February 2025 that the focus is on knowledge-based sectors that employ white-collar professionals, and reduce the blue-collar workforce.
Coursera reported that professional certificate enrollments in the UAE grew 41 per cent, outpacing regional averages. While 72 per cent of organisations cite skill gaps as a major barrier — above the global average, the UAE's workforce development programmes like Nafis are exceeding private-sector employment targets, it added.
In the UAE, enrollments for AI and machine learning, cybersecurity and customer service increased while top learner skills were corporate accounting, predictive analytics, emerging technologies, leadership development and competitive intelligence.
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