Fancy a job with a new mysterious Dubai startup? You’ll have to be under 25 to stand a chance.
Dubai’s largest property developer, Emaar, has set the upper age limit on new hires for a venture called e25.
“25 future leaders under the age of 25 will establish and manage a new start up to take the performance of Emaar to new heights,” e25 says on its website.
It’s far from clear how e25 is planning to achieve that lofty goal. Emaar declined requests for more detail.
Candidates are being asked to fill out an online application form, giving basic personal information such as education and nationality. They also have to answer a single question in less than 1,000 words on how to exceed expectations when shaping the future of Emaar.
The advertisement lists high academic performance, entrepreneurial spirit and creativity as some of the requirements for the roles.
The United Arab Emirates does not have legislation on age discrimination in the workplace.
The Arab world is suffering from the highest rate of youth unemployment globally. It stood at 30.6% in 2015, more than double the global average of 12.9%.
The problem may get even worse. The International Labor Organization says even energy exporting countries in the region could see a rise in unemployment among young people as economic growth slows in response to lower oil prices.
Emaar is best known for developing Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world. But its chairman, Mohamed Alabbar, has recently shifted his focus to the digital world.
Last year, he announced plans to create Noon, a new e-commerce platform based in Riyadh, in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. He also partnered with Yoox Net-A-Porter to bring the online luxury retailer to the region.