| Kippreport.com

INFOGRAPHIC: Middle East popular for Internships?

December 16, 2012 4:17 by M. Aldalou

When I went to school – which wasn’t that long ago – there were hardly any internship opportunities available. I think most people looked at having a job almost like a dreaded phase in life that one should delay for as long as possible before being sucked into the black hole for all eternity. Or perhaps it was just me?

Nowadays, internships and freelance work are available in abundance even in a country like the UAE – where some form of visa is required at all times and almost 90 percent of the population consists of expatriates. High school and university students flock to any and all chances to surround themselves with experts of the field that they one day wish to be a part of.

Naturally, part of the hike in its popularity is a push from educational institutes. The other is a fear that when they graduate they’d find it difficult to find a job on account of having no experience and lastly, it is social media’s ability to spread information.

But how popular are internships in the Middle East? How many of them are paid ones? What’s the experience like?

Below is an infographic from Bayt.com, a popular job site based in the region. It provides clear and comprehensive information on internships in the region. (click to enlarge)