Early careers
MENA’s first-job problem is bigger than a skills gap
Young people across MENA are repeatedly told to become more employable. Skills matter, but the evidence points to a structural problem too: too few accessible, productive entry routes into formal work.
The regional numbers are stark
The ILO estimated MENA youth unemployment at 24.4% in 2023, nearly double the global rate. It also estimated that 31.5% of young people were not in employment, education or training. Regional estimates combine very different countries and should not be used to describe any one city or group.
Experience requirements can close the first door
Entry-level adverts often ask for prior local experience, creating a loop: candidates cannot gain experience without a job and cannot get the job without experience. Unpaid or poorly structured placements shift that risk onto young people and families.
What a credible first-job route includes
A real early-career role has defined work, supervision, a learning plan and a decision point. Employers should publish what success looks like rather than relying on cultural fit or personal access.
- A salary or clearly stated stipend
- Named learning outcomes
- A manager responsible for feedback
- Published conversion or progression criteria
- No requirement to perform a permanent role indefinitely as an intern
Better information reduces wasted applications
Candidates need to know how many stages exist, whether the advertised package matches the eventual offer and how long decisions usually take. Sadeq collects those process facts separately from employee reviews so one does not masquerade as the other.
Sadeq Editorial distinguishes official statistics from survey findings and interpretation. Regional figures describe broad patterns—not every country, sector or workplace.