UAE tops region for most skilled workforce, says report

6 June 2025 01:39
ISIDORA CIRIC (ABU DHABI)The UAE workforce is the most skilled in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Coursera's latest report. The country also leads the Arab world across all major categories, including business, technology, data skills, and AI maturity, positioning itself as the region's leading hub for digital readiness and innovation.The Global Skills Report 2025, published by Coursera on Wednesday, draws from the learning activity of more than 170 million users worldwide and benchmarks performance across over 100 countries.The accompanying AI Maturity Index provides a broader view, factoring in academic publications and metrics from the IMF and OECD to measure national progress in AI research, innovation, and preparedness.The UAE ranked 38th globally overall, 17th in business, 46th in data, 53rd in technology, and 32nd in AI maturity, making it the top performer in the Arab world across all four categories, and first in MENA when it comes to overall skills readiness.'The UAE is positioning itself for a tech-driven future, with 87% of employers emphasising technological literacy, AI, and big data as their top priorities,' the report said, linking the country's performance to its national efforts to transition into a knowledge-based economy powered by skilled Emirati talent.The country also boasts the highest rate of Coursera learners in the region, with 13% of its labour force actively engaged on the platform. As the total learner base reaches 1.3 million, the UAE's appetite for digital skills shows no signs of slowing down.According to the report, GenAI course enrolments alone surged by 344% year on year — more than double the regional growth rate — while professional certificate and cybersecurity enrolments jumped by 41% and 14%, respectively.Women are playing an increasingly active role in this transition, accounting for 21% of GenAI learners in the UAE, 24% of those enrolled in STEM-related fields, and 23% in professional certificate programmes. Learning habits reflect a younger, mobile-first generation, with 41% of users accessing courses via mobile, and a median learner age of 36.On the employer side, demand is rising sharply for expertise in AI and machine learning (up 139%) and customer service (up 96%), while top learner skills in the UAE ranged from corporate accounting and predictive analytics to emerging technologies and leadership development. The UAE's broader economic and policy frameworks are a key driver of this momentum, the report said, pointing out the We the UAE 2031 strategy and workforce development programmes like Nafis, which 'are exceeding private-sector employment targets' and form part of a national vision for a tech-enabled society centred around innovation and competencies.
Building on this foundation, the country deployed a wider set of strategies, such as UAE Vision 2030, the Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Emirates Blockchain Strategy, and the UAE Centennial 2071, to support the growth and prosperity of future-focused business sectors.

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