zak87

Hi all,

Need a bit of advice really ill start with my back ground:

26 year old single male with 10 years experience in construction specifically electrical installations. Education consists of NVQ Level 3 in electrical installation and City & Guilds Level 3 in Electrical technology, I also have a Certificate of Higher Education in Finance. I am also professionally registered with the IET. I done my site supervisors course and various other electrical courses.

I have worked for all main contractors Kier, NG Bailey and Siemens on large scale projects including an airport project in Dubai 3 years ago for a large contractor. Now for the last 10 months I have come off the tools and into Site engineering (making sure job runs smoothly raising any issues coordinating work, reviewing drawings etc).

Now this is the direction I want to go in but I would like to be part of a main contractor in the Middle East again but I am struggling massively.

I have sent my CV off to a lot of companies and Im not even getting a response from them. The majority of jobs online require a degree for the position I am doing now, I just can't see how having a degree makes a difference!!? Surely if you are competent in doing the job they should give you a chance.

Anyone know how I can even get a reply from the top companies or make myself more employable? where am I going wrong?

Thanks in advance

Bahtatboy

Others may have detailed knowledge about your specific discipline, but from my knowledge the best route for you could be by first securing a position in the UK with a company which operates in the ME, and then applying internally (which is perhaps how you worked in Dubai previously). Engineering positions (quite senior ones) are possible in the ME without degrees, but the vital step is having an "in" to the company. As has been said before (by me, actually), networking is your strongest chance.

The other route would be to get a degree. Plenty of people do it other than going straight from school.

busybee2

yes if you are applying here a degree is required, they have to tick their box, if you are being transferred from a uk company then perhaps not so much, but people that dont have degrees will certainly be worse off.

busybee2

companies have a tough time here with red tape, and if you are an employee with a degree you are more of an asset to the company than one that doesnt.

Bahtatboy

Neither of those statements is absolutely true. In the company I worked for in Abu Dhabi we engaged Brits for relatively senior positions who did not hold degrees. However, for non-degree holders, transition in-house was certainly easier. I know numerous people in engineering industries in the UAE who are not worse off because they don't have degrees, some in hands-on engineering roles, others in managerial roles.

Whilst in general a degree is required and will lead to better earning potential, the situation is not black and white and there are many exceptions.

Bahtatboy

Again, that's not absolutely true. It may well be that an employee without a degree will require greater admin/PRO input, but his value as an asset comes from his ability to make money for the company. Hiring out non-degree personnel at daily rates which are ten-fold their salaries is possible, and their value is further increased if they generate high levels of repeat business.

zak87

Just very frustrating as I know I'm more than competent to do the job. I didn't go to university from college as I couldn't financially support myself full time.

If I was to study for a degree now it means going to uni part time for 4 years and coming out with 40k worth of debt. In that 4 years I could be working my way up the ladder and building on the experience I already have, annoying no one is willing to give me that opportunity.

Bahtatboy

Don't give up. Looking for a job is often more time-consuming than actually working. There are three fundamental steps.

1 Research
Who needs your skills and experience in the countries you want to work in? The ME is extremely active at the moment, with hundreds of companies doing work there. Find out who's there, who's just been awarded projects, and who's been there a long time--they'll likely need more staff. Dig the information out.

2 Position Yourself
Make sure your CV and covering letter are top-notch. You may need to invest to ensure that.

3 Apply Yourself
Use all available avenues to get to the decision makers: networking, recruitment consultants, recruitment fairs, responding to ads, and direct applications. The most important and successful is networking, but don't neglect the other avenues. How many applications / contact requests are you sending out a week? I'd have thought something like 50-100 in your first week, and 10+ each week thereafter. The work's there if you're really determined but, as I said earlier, you may have to take a position in the UK first in order to try to get your foot in the door with a company which operates in the region.

zak87

Ive been doing the above 3 things for the last 3 years lol.. HR departments must hate me

Found recruitment managers for all the top contractors and sub-contractors on LinkedIn and sent them DM's, everyday I check who's won what contract and send my CV to HR department. Apply to jobs via the agencies etc.

I know work starts on Mall of the world soon and a $32bn airport expansion has been approved.. Qatar have 8 stadiums or so to be built in time for 2022, construction in the ME has really picked up i can't believe no one is interested.

It really must because I don't have the degree.

i had 2 phone interviews and a video call for a company in Abu Dhabi i was then due a face to face interview in AD asked me when i could come out send my passport etc then heard nothing after that.

Bahtatboy

Right...no wonder you're frustrated. Be happy to look over your CV if you want, since I used to work for one of the companies you mentioned. Send me a PM...

zak87

Sent!

shake2000

Bahtaboy - very nice of you, there aren't many on here that genuinely want to help

busybee2

well in my experience of a the uae construction industry i believe it to be true, but of course it will depend on company to company.

scrubbedexpat141

I've seen and have been involved in getting guys without degrees jobs. Far more likely in Contractors than Consultants, so you're looking in the right place.

Have you tried MEP Subbies as well as Main Cons?
Who do you know from your time out here that might be able to help?
Who do you know from any of your experience out here who might be able to help?

Is all your experience solid chunks, involved in projects start to finish with those big name companies?
Is your experience all freelance stuff, moving every 6-12 months etc?
Can you transfer with your current company?
Have you worked on big projects?
Have you worked on complex projects? (EG: Airport SAS, Data Centres etc?)

How much cash do you want?
Are you expensive at the moment?

mikewot

Don't hold your breath on that one, it has moved very far to the right of when it was all originally planned to have been done. 5 runways total (6 if you go back a couple of years), there is one currently, 2 planned by 2020 and the final 2 by 2025. That has been reduced to 1 in 2019 and the other 3 in phase 2, whenever that is.