In the UAE, Sparq platform helps school students find internships — The National
In the United Arab Emirates, the Sparq platform helps school students find structured internships and job-shadowing opportunities at companies. According to The National, employers are increasingly hiring early-career candidates — school leavers, interns and recent university graduates.
According to ManpowerGroup, the net employment outlook in the UAE for the fourth quarter stands at 41%, up 24 percentage points from the third quarter. Hiring of early-career candidates is growing in nearly half of the country’s organizations. At the same time, companies face a mismatch between candidates and vacancies, as well as a shortage of required skills.
Finding internships through Sparq
The Sparq platform matches the profiles and career aspirations of students in the UAE with internship and job-shadowing programs at companies. It was founded by Gaurav Gulati after he himself tried to find structured opportunities for his two teenage children. According to him, access to such placements previously often depended on personal connections.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Sparq replaces informal searches through WhatsApp groups and spreadsheets. Companies can track and report on internship programs, while students can receive structured feedback instead of a simple rejection. Gulati believes such tools can help the UAE retain young talent that might otherwise seek opportunities in Europe, the United Kingdom or the United States.
Early work experience
Carolyn Ross, director of Ferox Recruitment, said that early work experience, including internships and job shadowing, is important for young people beginning their professional careers. She advised school students and graduates to build their networks and attend exhibition events in the UAE, where free events are often held.
Dino Varkey, chief executive of Gems Education Group, previously suggested that companies would begin hiring employees directly from schools rather than universities. This approach aligns with Dubai’s Education Strategy 2033, which provides for connecting senior school students with potential employers to gain practical experience and develop career opportunities.
