RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has registered 17 percent growth in online job postings in Q1 2019 compared to the same period last year, the latest Monster Employment Index (MEI) revealed.

The increase in online vacancies follows a number of initiatives to increase the role of women in the workplace. One of these initiatives includes allowing women in Saudi to drive, which experts believe can create more than 50,000 jobs over a period of 12 months from the date of the removal of the ban. In addition to this, there have been many initiatives from the private and public sector to encourage women to enter the workforce in line with the KSA National Agenda. The Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD), for instance, has set new standards to create a more inclusive and attractive working environment for women in the Kingdom.

Commenting on the most recent MEI results, Abhijeet Mukherjee, Chief Executive Officer, Monster.com, APAC & Middle East, said: “With the great societal transformations happening in Saudi, businesses and the government are finally able to more effectively utilize a large pool of exceptional talent that has been underutilized for many years. Women in the workplace make up a large segment in the global workforce and contribute to a significant portion of the economy of markets around the world. This is a very important step for the Kingdom in achieving a sustainable economy and has undoubtedly contributed to the growth in online jobs witnessed in Q1 2019.”

The growth in online recruitment was led by the IT and Telecom industry at 27 percent from Q1 2018, followed by 24 percent growth in Oil and Gas. This correlates with the digital transformations taking place across many industries in KSA, as well as the continued focus on the oil and gas contribution to the national GDP. The most sought-after occupation in the online space in the Kingdom was Finance and Accounting at 33 percent growth from the same period last year.

“IT is a key pillar of the KSA National Agenda and is already disrupting almost every industry in Saudi, thus creating exciting career opportunities for those in the IT field. Even more traditional industries, like financial institutions and government offices, are embracing the endless opportunities of technology to create a progressive and more efficient economy. The growth in online job postings in this space demonstrates that there is even more to be seen in the digital space in the Kingdom and that it is all happening very soon,” added Mukherjee.

The UAE led regional growth among the countries monitored by the MEI at 42 percent, followed by KSA at 17 percent and Bahrain at 12 percent. Oman was the only nation to show slight regression in online hiring at 3 percent decline from Q1 2018. Across the region, the IT and Telecom industry led growth at 23 percent from the same period last year, followed by Hospitality at 19 percent growth. Roles in Finance and Accounting led occupational growth in the region at an astonishing 65 percent increase from Q1 2018, followed by HR and Administration at 41 percent. — SG