Startups can create direct and indirect jobs through various workstreams. For example, the ride-sharing service Careem currently has approximately 3,500 employees according to data from LinkedIn. The rapid growth of the gig economy, where companies hire independent workers for short-term commitments, in the past few years—thanks to companies such as ride-hailing platforms Uber and Careem, as well as food delivery platforms DoorDash and Talabat—has been a critical element in the growth of indirect jobs created by startups. This model is driven by people taking on gig work, allowing businesses to enter new markets easily and quickly. This ultimately allows startups to create new jobs across the skill-level spectrum.

However, universities and other educational institutions need to reassess the specializations offered to support the region’s startup ecosystem in order to bridge the gap between job seekers and startups in need of talent. Technical skills such as app development still aren’t readily available in the region, and this is where collaboration plays a vital role.

These initiatives must be accompanied by a structural shift in the job-seeking mentality from reliance on government and corporate jobs to an increased interest in entrepreneurship and jobs within startups. Across MENA, 64 percent and 41 percent of job seekers find working for a corporation or the government more appealing than working for a startup. However, the increasing number of successful MENA startups that have achieved significant growth, gone public, or been acquired by large companies proves that startups can offer high-quality and sustainable careers now more than ever.

Source Credit: Atlantic Council