Introduction
Saleh preferred engineering as his major course over other disciplines due to the existence of a wide variety of engineering industries in which a graduate professional could work. Engineering could also be linked to social and economic aspects (Hitt, 2010). His decision was voluntary because his main aim was to serve the country in its construction and development projects.
His decision to enroll in the Higher Colleges of Technology (HTC) as an engineer was an appropriate one because the colleges had a rich background of excellence and provided competitive courses. Students in HTC used modern technology and skills in their studies. UAE as a developing country required many engineers to help in its development; therefore engineering was a prestigious career in this country. The hardship of this discipline “paid off” morally and financially because the graduates acquired highly paying jobs and could fulfil their familial and state responsibilities (Nuseibeh, 2009). One can be more creative and innovative in this discipline than in others because the major actively involves the incorporation of technology.
Technology changes rapidly. Certain majors like Law and Business Administration may not need sophisticated technology. Engineering, unlike other majors also deals with the practical aspects of life. It incorporates both theory and practice. Once an engineer creates a new machine theoretically, he must develop the device into reality.
Presentation of the position of the arguments
According to Ruiz (2013), the Arab Emirates Society of Engineers contributes to UAE’s development by manufacturing equipments and machines that contribute to the enhancement of the economic standards of the country. UAE requires engineering professionals because they contribute to the growth of the sectors of technology, construction, mining excavation, and road construction (Ruiz, 2013). In the UAE, engineering professionals are usually in high demand because they provide technical and intellectual solutions to companies that manufacture machines used for road construction and oil excavation. Construction engineers contributed to the production of the machines and technologies that helped in the construction of the tallest building in the world which is located in Dubai, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.
The architectural engineers formulated the design of the building and were present throughout its construction offering their knowledge and skills. The government of UAE usually involves engineers in other sectors of the economy in addition to the construction and oil domains. An engineer within the UAE can pursue other fields like medicine, law, communication and business administration. The integration of other fields like business into the knowledge of an engineer can help him design specialized equipments needed in those majors. The engineering sector in the UAE may be the best in the Middle East in terms of financial gains to the professionals. The domain contains limited numbers of professionals. The demand for engineering graduates is usually high because full time employment ranges from 86.2 per cent to 98.7 per cent (Bullen, 2013).
This aspect indicates that engineers within the UAE enjoy professional and financial empowerment. According to the membership statistics of the United Arab Emirates Society of Engineers, the number of local graduates in engineering within the UAE depends on the levels and technicalities of the specializations (Nuseibeh, 2009). Architectural engineering comprises of approximately 9000 local graduates; civil engineering contains 21,000, electrical engineering 5000, mechanical engineering 2000 and other areas like chemical and petroleum engineering, urban planning and other sectors of engineering register relatively small numbers of graduates (Kumar, 2012).
The numbers do not meet the needs of industries within the UAE. Every engineering field in the UAE faces a shortage of engineers. The inadequacy of engineers may affect business and economic growth in the UAE. Universities that offer business administration as a major in the United Arab Emirates include Murdoch University Dubai, College of Business Administration Dubai, American University in Dubai, Emirates College for Management and Information Technology, the University of Strathclyde Business School and Hult International Business School (Kumar, 2012).
Universities that offer engineering in the United Arab Emirates include College of Engineering Abu Dhabi University, the University of Sharjah that offers chemical engineering and the United Arab Emirates College that offers mechanical engineering. The Saint Petersburg State University of Engineering and Economics (ENGECON) offers electrical and civil engineering and business programs (Kumar, 2012).
Graduates of both engineering and business administration have contributed to the development of the UAE by offering their technical and entrepreneurial skills in order to improve the infrastructural and investment status of the country. The oil industry in the UAE is the biggest income earner for the country. The Petroleum Institute usually provides the UAE with graduates that venture into the petroleum sector. The University of Sharjah provides the business sector within the UAE with about 900 graduates every year (Ruiz, 2013). The university also provides the UAE with graduates in the construction field. The graduates are usually in high demand because companies, organizations and government institutions employ them regularly. According to a World Bank report released in 2014, business administration graduates help the UAE to be one of the leading countries in the globe that make it easy to do business. It is ranked 23rd in the world among countries that provide an enabling environment for investments (Bullen, 2013).
Conclusion and recommendations
The argument that engineering is better than business administration in the UAE is indeed valid according to the research. The UAE mainly depends on the construction and oil industries hence the country depends on engineers more than business graduates. The UAE is “a fast moving” country that may need to accommodate alternative methods of growth and development. The country needs to accommodate business investors and create new methods of doing business (Ghimire, 2010).
The state may need to invest more in business related courses. This study’s evaluation of the issue is that the UAE needs to develop both the engineering and business sectors as the two are interdependent. The oil and construction sectors need business professionals to provide appropriate audits and accountability for cost effectiveness. This paper recommends adequate research to be carried out within the UAE to find appropriate ways of enhancing the oil and construction industries through business projects and technological initiatives. The UAE can integrate all disciplines to benefit adequately from them by creating legislation to balance the number of graduates in universities, in accordance to the needs of the country.
References
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Ghimire, P. (2010). Nepali workers offered a high salary with higher demands. Republica Business and Economy. Web.
Hitt, M.(2010). Annual Report. Web.
Kumar, G. (2012). Indian workers, lost in a gulf of despair. The Hindu. Web.
Nuseibeh, B. (2009). Migrant workers in Dubai protest against underpayments. Risk and Forecast. Web
Ruiz, R. (2013). Filipino maids shunned in UAE over minimum wage demands. The National. Web.