The computer services industry has edged out engineering and manufacturing as the most sought after sector for future job-seekers in Saudi Arabia, a leading talent survey has revealed. Thousands of university students were questioned by the international employment research company Universum, the majority of whom chose computer services as their favoured industry in which to seek careers. The findings reveal a shift, especially among women, away from traditionally-favored sectors including energy, construction, and engineering, towards more high-tech careers. Although the oil and gas firm Saudi Aramco was the single most desirable company to work for among respondents, multinational tech firms including Google, Apple, Microsoft, IBM and Oracle all ranked in the top ten of Universum's poll. Saudi Arabia was one of six countries surveyed as part of the company's Middle East Talent Survey 2016, along with the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait and Qatar. Conducted over a six-month period, the research uncovers university students' attitudes about employers and what drives their career decision-making. Claudia Tattanelli, Chairman of the Strategic Advisory Board at Universum, said: "Our findings reveal a clear shift in the employment sectors most favored by students in Saudi Arabia. "In our survey last year, engineering and manufacturing was the overwhelming favorite sector to work in among engineering and IT students, who make up the majority of our KSA respondents. The year, there has been a big swing towards software and computer services, especially among female students we questioned. "These findings reflect Saudi Arabia's growing diversification away from the engineering and oil and gas sectors. Students are increasingly acknowledging that the future of the country's economy lies in modern high-tech industries and are seeking careers in line with this shift." Universum is a global leader in employer attractiveness research and insights. The company delivers a range of services to empower employers to better attract, recruit and retain talent. It's KSA survey gathered responses from 4,999 male and female students in 13 universities throughout the country. More than 3,200 respondents were studying subjects related to engineering and IT. In Universum's 2015 survey, 36 per cent of engineering/IT students chose engineering and manufacturing as their most desirable industry. But this year, only 24 per cent of respondents selected this traditional powerhouse of the Saudi economy, falling behind computer services, technology hardware and equipment, and the telecommunications industry, especially among women. Saudi Aramco was the most desirable company to work for among engineering/IT students, followed by Google, Microsoft, SABIC, Apple, Schlumberger, IBM and Oracle. Most noteworthy in this year's ideal employers rankings was homegrown, rising-star Abdul Latif Jameel, which climbed two places from last year to 13th in the 2016 list. The 70 year-old Saudi company has a diversified portfolio of interests and represents some of the world's leading brands in the Kingdom and beyond. As well as being the sole KSA distributor for Toyota, Abdul Latif Jameel's corporate umbrella covers financial services, media and advertising, consumer products, energy and more. Looking at business/commerce students, the survey found that more than a third of respondents were eyeing future careers in management and strategy consulting. This marked a significant shift away from banking, which was last year's most desirable industry. Saudi Aramco took top spot in the ideal employer rankings with more than 30 percent, followed by Google, Apple, SABIC, Microsoft and Ikea. When asked to identify what attributes they looked for in their future careers, the majority of respondents across degree subjects said they wanted professional training and development. Receiving performance recognition was the second highest preference, followed by high future earnings. In terms of their personal career goals, most students wanted to be entrepreneurial and innovative. This marked a shift in ambition away from the need for work/life balance and job security, which had been the leading two goals in previous Universum surveys. "The battle between Saudi's leading companies to secure the best young talent from the country's top universities is fierce, and will only become more competitive as the economy diversifies further into the non-oil sector," said Mrs Tattanelli. "At this crucial period in Saudi's economic development, the Universum survey is a vital tool in helping employers get an insight into what students are prioritizing in their future careers and enabling companies to match what they offer to student expectations."
