Dubai: The face of the job market is changing faster than ever before, and if you are a young student or a parent with young children, it’s only natural to wonder – will the qualifications and specialisations I choose today lead to opportunities tomorrow?

To help answer that question, the UAE has launched a new online platform designed to bridge the gap between education and employment. The platform provides insights into the jobs and skills that are most in demand, helping users make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.

The ‘UAE Skills’ platform was launched last month by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) to help school pupils, university students and parents take more confident decisions when it comes to selecting courses and specialisations.

What is the UAE Skills platform?

The UAE Skills platform was launched last month as an AI-powered model to connect the labour market data with the education ecosystem.

The platform analyses jobs, in-demand skills and qualifications and forecasts future labour market trends, enabling government entities and educational institutions to make accurate, data-driven decisions.

It also supports students in choosing the right academic and career paths from early education stages, enabling more than 200,000 students and 200 educational institutions in the UAE, with over 1,700 future skills in development.

How to use the platform

Visit https://skillz.mohre.gov.ae/

Select from the following options:

- High school student

- College/University student

- Parent

- Public explorer

Once you’ve logged in, you can then begin using all the platform features.

1. Get tailored job recommendations

Select the subjects that you, or your child, is interested in or pursuing. You can select from an option of over 30 subjects, ranging from language and literature to accounting, media studies and physical education.

Once you have selected the relevant subjects, you will get a breakdown of all the jobs that are on the rise for that set of skills and qualifications, along with details of each job profile, including why you might enjoy the job, the salary bracket for entry level, mid-level and senior level roles as well as the study options in the UAE.

2.Explore higher education programmes

Under the programme section of the platform, you can also find out more about particular fields of study that you may be interested in, including:

whether or not this field would be a good fit for you;
the skills you’ll need to succeed in the field;
the required electives;
study options in the UAE;
career paths you can explore within the field of study.

3. Latest job trends

The platform also assesses the latest market data to provide insights into the jobs that are:

in high demand;
emerging;
on a decline;
highest paying.

If, instead of a specific job role, you are looking at which sector or field would increase your chances of employment, the platform also offers details on fields that have higher employability and the qualifications employers are looking for.

Which jobs are in high demand in the UAE?

As per the platform, these are the top five jobs in demand in the UAE job market as per data from September 2025:

1. Accountant

Why it’s in demand:

Regulatory compliance and reporting.
Business growth and cross-border trade.
Digital accounting and Fintech adoption.

You may love this job if you:

Enjoy detailed number analysis and accuracy focus.
Have interest in collaborating across multicultural teams and stakeholders.
Have the motivation to learn financial systems and improve processes rapidly.

Monthly salary range:

Entry level: AED 4,000 to 7,000
Mid-level: AED 10,000 to 17,000
Senior level: AED 16,000 to 24,000

2. Administrative Assistant

Why it's in demand:

Non-oil economic diversification.
Digital government services expansion.
Tourism and logistics hub growth.

You may love this job if you:

Enjoy fast-paced multicultural workplaces and shifting priorities.
Have interest in building relationships with GCC regional clients.
Are motivated to learn office software and digital workflows.

Monthly salary range:

Entry level: AED 6,000 to 10,000
Mid-level: AED 13,000 to 20,000
Senior level: AED 18,000 to 29,000

3. Civil Engineer

Why it's in demand:

Non-oil economic diversification projects.
Tourism and logistics infrastructure expansion.
Green transition and sustainable infrastructure.

You may love this job if you:

Enjoy fast-paced, cross-cultural construction projects.
Are interested in collaborating with multicultural teams and stakeholders.
Have the motivation to learn regional codes and GCC client needs.

Monthly salary range:

Entry level: AED 6,000 to 11,000
Mid-level: AED 16,000 to 25,000
Senior level: AED 23,000 to 36,000

4. Real Estate Agent

Why it's in demand:

Non-oil economic diversification.
Growing tourism and logistics hubs.
Healthcare and education investment expansion.

5. Restaurant Manager

Why it's in demand:

Tourism and hospitality expansion.
Non-oil economic diversification.
GCC trade and travel growth.

You may love this job if you:

Enjoy multicultural team collaboration and communication.
Have an interest in GCC client service expectations and hospitality norms.
Are motivated to grow restaurants quickly in fast-scaling markets.

Monthly salary range:

Entry level: N/A
Mid-level: AED 11,000 to 18,000
Senior level: AED 15,000 to 23,000

Salary figures are indicative, subject to skills, experience, and based on evolving market conditions

4 fields of study that are in high demand

As per the platform, these are the areas that employers have been hiring for the most in the past three months:

1. Management and administration

A high demand field with 20% of job postings requiring this specialisation. Some of the top roles in the field are:

Sales Manager
Administrative Assistant
Restaurant Manager
Real Estate Manager

2. Finance, banking and insurance

This specialisation is listed as a requirement in 8% of job postings. Some of the top roles in the field include:

Accountant
Real Estate Agent
Real Estate Manager
Financial Manager

3. Marketing and advertising

This specialisation, too, is in high demand, with 8% of job postings requiring it. Some of the roles that fall within this field overlap with other industries, including:

Sales Manager
Real Estate Manager
Sales Account Manager
Advertising Copywriter

4. Hotel, restaurants and catering

It was seen that 6% of job postings, according to the platform, required this specialisation in the past three months, including the following top roles:

Restaurant Manager
Hotel Concierge
Customer Experience Manager
Accommodation Manager

So, whether you are looking to upskill mid-career or are a student about to decide which course to select, the UAE Skills platform can help you make more informed decisions within the UAE.

The platform is available through the website: https://skillz.mohre.gov.ae/, or through the ‘UAE Skills’ app, available for Apple and Android devices.

Jackie Chan leaves his mark