3000 Jordanian engineers are unemployed
Jordan, Economics, 6/5/1998

Number of engineers registered at Jordanian Engineers Union through June 1, 1998 reached 40,000 possessing a range of specializations and including 3,342 women engineers, a research prepared by the Engineers Union with cooperation from the Royal Scientific Association in Jordan and released yesterday said.

It indicated that 3,000 engineers are unemployed. The number represents 11% of all Jordanian engineers.

The research revealed that the problem of unemployment among engineers is due to falling oil prices and economic deflation in Arab oil states, which started in mid 1980's. The crisis increased after the Gulf War of 1991, which resulted from the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi President Saddam's Hussein's forces in 1990. Jordan supported Saddam Hussein and that the Arab Guls states expelled more than 350000 Jordanians worked in the area. Most of those who were forced to go back home were engineers, the research signed.

In addition to that,"Jordan's economy started flourishing since mid 1990s," it said. Factories and firms has become doubled and a big number of students interested in studying engineering have graduated since then.

The research pointed out that unemployment concentrated in areas far from the central Jordan, Amman, Zarqa and Balqa areas. It concentrated in the Northern region rather than the South; because there is a big residential ratio of unemployment in the North compared to job opportunities and available projects. There are about 6000 enginers in the North of Jordan.

The research also identifies that the biggest rate of surplus is found in architectural engineering. It reached 226%, electrical engineering 211%, mechanical 189%, civil engineering 178%, chemical engineering 145%, and mining engineering 136%.

"There will be a surples of 2000 engineers in the next eight years," the research estimated, "12000 of them are going to live abroad." it confirmed.

Previous Stories:
  $500 million Israeli-Jordanian railway   (5/8/1998)
  Jordan will receive more than $140 million in aid   (5/6/1998)
  King is serious about improving Aqaba port   (4/17/1998)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search