The UAE’s National Programme for Coders, which aims to attract and train more than a 100,000 coders, will propel the country forward as a digital hub and address the shortage of talent in the tech-sector, industry leaders said.
With its business-friendly initiatives and environment, the country has become a destination of choice for entrepreneurs and startups looking to set up their business in the region.
“The UAE is now becoming an increasingly major technology hub. The world’s largest technology companies, including those from the United States and China, are expanding or establishing bases here,” said Justin McGuire, co-founder & CEO, MENA & APAC, of DMCG Global.
“This is part of a wider influx of foreign investment, boosted by the UAE’s wealth, location and business-friendly reputation. The country itself is the driving force behind large-scale digitisation,” he added.
Having accessible local coders would also encourage more startups to operate out of the UAE.
“If highly-skilled local talent is available, more startups would come to Dubai and more people here could start their own companies,” said Tarek Kabrit, CEO of Seez, a Dubai-based tech startup.
“In the long run it creates a kind of momentum: we’ve seen this when employees of successful startups like PayPal in Silicon Valley and Careem in Dubai left those companies and went on to become founders and investors themselves. With this new push we could see an increasing number of startups in Dubai and even regionally,” he continued.
The emirates’ digital economy could be further grown, however, were it not for a shortage in locally based tech talent.
This is what the Coding Programme will address through a number of national initiatives for developing talents, expertise and innovative projects in the field of coding.
Justin McGuire, co-founder & CEO, MENA & APAC, of DMCG Global.
“The UAE, like many other hubs is facing a shortage of tech workers and it needs to attract foreigners and train locals to fill the gap,” said McGuire.
“Where the UAE has an edge over places like Singapore, is that it is expat friendly, most nationalities can obtain a visa in the UAE, they are treated well and earn a tax free living,
“We predict around 50,000 new technology jobs will be rolled out in UAE over the next few years, focusing on niche skills such as coding, AI and ML and data analysis. Demand far exceeds supply. This shortage of engineers will again hit hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong as they have very tightly controlled border measures and foreign worker quotas,” he continued.
“The National Program for Coders is a smart move that will future proof the UAE and allow hubs such as Dubai to have an edge over rivals,” McGuire added.
Because of a gap in tech-talent, UAE based startups usually outsource their coding needs so having locally based software engineers and coders will facilitate their operations.
Kamal Nazha, founder of celebrity shout-out platform Oulo.
“The UAE is the only country in the world to have minted so many unicorns without being a tech development hub. Most of these companies rely on software developers in markets where skills and cost converge (Lebanon, Egypt, India, Eastern Europe, etc),” said Kamal Nazha, founder of celebrity shout-out platform Oulo.
“This has so far created a limit to innovation within this ecosystem. Therefore, by nurturing and enabling the future generation of software engineers closer to home, the prospect of the UAE tech industry is even more promising,” he continued.
Hiring local talent has advantages from an operational and company-culture perceptive, explained Kabrit who said 80 percent of Seez’s tech team is based in Europe because they couldn’t find local developers.
Tarek Kabrit, CEO of Dubai-based tech startup Seez.
“We’ve always been a remote team, and for the most part it works, but we do feel a gap sometimes with people who are based in different countries and have never met. When you hire local, as opposed to outsourcing, you can build a more solid company culture,” he continued.
The National Program for Coders could also address the challenge of experience for emerging coders.
“Whilst training is part of the solution, one barrier for entry for fresh talent for instance into coding jobs would still be practical on-the-job experience, which is still a challenge in Dubai (think visas, economics, etc…) and this is where the new program could be a game-changer if all the partners involved pledge to offer entry-level on-the-job training opportunities in Dubai,” said Roland Daher chief executive officer, AstroLabs, a capability building company.
“The UAE’s partnership with tech giants will give Dubai an even greater platform for digital nomads globally and for the home-grown talent of the country. The partnership will improve not only the UAE’s digital strategy but also be a positive for the real estate market with the prediction of up to 100,000 tech industry experts moving to the city,” said Lewis Allsopp, CEO of Allsopp & Allsopp.
“Dubai is becoming the place to be for talent from all over the world and is definitely catching the attention of digital nomads who are looking for a change and to live in one of the best cities in the world where opportunities are second to none and advancements for its betterment are constantly being made,” he added.
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