Riyadh — Young Saudis are optimistic about their future but concerned about employment prospects, according to the Saudi Youth Index 2016 launched here Tuesday at the MiSK Global Forum.
The new wave of economic reforms appealed to both genders, but especially to women, who were more positive than their male contemporaries about the future.
Women scored 80% on the Happiness Index in terms of satisfaction with their employment situation while men scored 76%.
When asked about their career choice, 34% of interviewees overall favored a career in the public sector.
There was a divergence between men and women on their ideal job with only 27% of women choosing the civil service against 41% of men.
Significant numbers expressed a desire to work in the private service sector, reflecting the growing diversification of the economy: 21% in banking/finance, 18% in ICT and 17% in advertising or PR.
Non-traditional sectors were cited by women as offering them more flexibility than traditional office work and the opportunity for entrepreneurship.
The survey found that both genders are spending growing proportions of their leisure time on social media. Social media was identified as both a source of engagement, but also a stressor on traditional family relationships.
Unemployment remained one of the greatest fears for young Saudis with 29% unemployed and one third waiting a year or more before securing their first job.
Yet, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s stability in a troubled region, 85 % surveyed in the Confidence Index felt secure about both their safety and physical health.
The Youth Survey forms a central plank of the King Salman Youth Center’s (KSYC) initiative to understand and empower young Saudis in support of the central aims of Vision 2030, which seeks to maximize the economic potential of the Kingdom’s high youth population through quality education and training.
Hani Almgobil, Executive Manager of KSYC, said, “This Youth Survey is vital in helping us understand the hopes and dreams of the next generation of Saudis.
“At the King Salman Youth Center our mission has always been to empower young people and help them unleash their potential. We can’t do this without truly understanding their perspective.”
The two-day MiSK Global Forum is being held under the auspices of Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, as part of Vision 2030.
