Despite a global decline, the first quarter of 2015 saw continued job growth within the Middle Eastern oil and gas sector, with Asia also seeing a noteworthy increase according to the Hays Oil and Gas 2015 Global Job Index released this week.
The report suggests that the regional job market will continue to grow throughout the second and third quarters of the 2015, but hesitates to speculate about the fourth quarter. Specifically Saudi Aramco's hiring is reported to have helped to stabilize the index for the region.
Globally, however the picture is less optimistic with a 28 percent decrease from the final quarter of 2014 to the first quarter of 2015, and a 42 percent drop from one year ago. Although job growth in the sector is still positive within the Middle East, it is also down from one year ago.
“The Middle East [and Asia] both show an increase in hiring activity compared to the previous quarter, albeit below [the first quarter of 2014],” John Faraguna, managing director of Hays Oil & Gas told Gulf News .
Middle Eastern companies are searching for employees with "specific unconventional experience" and offering salaries ranging between $9,000 to $11,500.