Save Your Jobs: Why UAE Workers Can't Wait For Layoffs To Learn New Skills

2026-03-09 07:40:16

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Learning a new skill can be tough, and for many professionals in the UAE, becomes urgent only after losing a job. However, HR leaders in the country stress the importance of adapting to the UAE market's constant change, with human-led skills at the forefront. At the same time, absorbing technical skills remains a priority, some experts say.

“Reskilling should not begin when your job is at risk. By that point, you are already behind,” Vasudha Khandeparkar, an AI and data specialist and VP of Value Based Management at RAKBANK, told Khaleej Times.

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AI adoption, regulatory shifts, and economic diversification are all moving quickly in the UAE, which means employees need to constantly learn to stay relevant in their respective fields, she said, adding that the most resilient professionals treat learning as“part of their role, not as a response to fear.”

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For Khandeparkar, AI fluency, systems thinking, and empathy are the top three skills employees should strengthen. With AI fluency, it is about the practical understanding of how it works, rather than the technical side. Additionally, she said that professionals who can see how decisions affect different sectors will stand out.“The UAE economy is increasingly interconnected across sectors... Those who operate in silos will struggle.”

Adapting to change

Becoming an expert in one subject can greatly increase one's judgement, the AI expert said, which in turn makes them more knowledgeable and valuable. At the same time, it can be limiting.“The real shift is towards strengthening functional capability.

She compared this to how parents make decisions for their children – researching the best toys for development, the right food for growth, etc.“We do not rely on what worked a decade ago. We actively update our choices,” Khandeparkar said.“Yet many professionals do not apply the same thinking to their own careers. They rely on what once made them successful instead of reassessing where value is moving next.”

Prioritise human skills

“Human skills centred on connection and judgement are gaining importance,” Shainy Koshy, head of human resources and administration at Continental Group, said. These include relationship building, communication, cultural intelligence, and leadership.

The HR expert pointed out that in an environment such as the UAE, working with people across diverse cultures and geographies is“especially valuable,” adding that empathy and creativity also play a part as it influences trust and team cohesion. Emotional intelligence is also a valued human skill, although AI systems are quickly garnering the ability to detect and replicate human emotions, according to ESCP Business School, to the point that it becomes self-aware of its actions.

Many employees in the UAE make the mistake of“excessive risk aversion”, which is the tendency that people have in which they prefer scenarios with low uncertainty to those outcomes with high uncertainty. Instead, they prioritise stability because of visa dependencies, family commitments, and also financial responsibilities.

Koshy said these are valid concerns, but remaining“too comfortable” can set a person's growth back.

Durable career

“Most successful careers are rarely linear,” Zoe McLoughlin, executive director of the Career Centre at London Business School said, echoing the sentiment that evolving one's skillset is crucial to achieve career durability in the UAE.

Replying only on the strengths that got you to your current position and over-specialising in a narrow area can prevent employees from being able to show impact in a new context, she said.

“Durable careers are built by those who continuously and intentionally develop and rebalance their skills, to ensure they are ready for any increase in scope or responsibility,” she said.

At the forefront, it is the ability to understand and manage others that will differentiate a great leader from a good one, especially ones that adapt quickly. McLoughlin admitted that while it is unrealistic for professionals to step away from their full-time jobs in pursuit of reskilling, many programs out there offer flexible models, including the LBS Executive MBA program.

“There are, of course, a lot of options out there – from online learning to micro-credentials to in-company L&D offerings. The key thing is to invest in this learning now and in an ongoing way, not just waiting until there's an opportunity or change ahead and you realise you have a skills gap,” the director added.