Metaverse Opens New Opportunities on the Job Market

Blockchain companies seem to be the new asset United Arab Emirates is looking to endorse, expand, and maximize in its national favor. Dubai has announced that it will require up to 40.000 people to join in the rapid development of digital cities, services, universities, and hospitals, and provide a support network for a rising community of everything connected to crypto, NFTs, and the Metaverse.

The city-state of Dubai is already home to about 1,000 blockchain and metaverse enterprises. On top of that, some of the biggest companies are already opening outlets in the metaverse. Damac Group plans to build whole virtual cities, while a healthcare provider Thumbay is designing a meta-hospital that will be a virtual space for medical consultations.

Dubai announces 40.000 jobs to support Metaverse projects

The jobs that will be available in Dubai related to the Metaverse are not yet specified, but we can imagine that they will be in developing, designing, and maintaining virtual spaces and experiences. The projects seem to rely on a blockchain infrastructure, which would make perfect sense given that one of the applications of blockchain is secure record-keeping of digital assets. However, it is not clear whether the jobs will require specific knowledge about blockchain technology.

The job market in Dubai has been relatively stable during the past few years, with a few fluctuations related to oil prices. The current situation with the pandemic has not hit Dubai as hard as other countries, and its economy is still growing. The addition of 40.000 new jobs related to the Metaverse is a significant expansion of the job market, and it will provide new opportunities for people with different skill sets. It doesn’t only include 3D designers and developers, but also people who can create experiences, such as game designers, writers, and artists. It is already becoming a new workspace for people from different backgrounds, including lawyers, entrepreneurs, physicians, mental health professionals, property managers, architects, consultants, and more.

What is the focus of the Dubai Metaverse strategy?

HRH Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad has introduced a strategy that will regulate digital assets in the metaverse and the development of new blockchain ventures. This is also in line with the national plan to increase the number of cryptocurrency companies throughout the UAE. As reported by Khaleej Times, the ultimate goal is to transform Dubai into the global blockchain hotspot and development hub, that will attract foreign companies, establishing it as the Silicon Valley of the near future (the plan is focused on the next 10 years).

Right now, blockchain companies contribute $500 million to the Emirati economy. The companies based in the city are already putting their foot in the metaverse door, setting up virtual outlets, and planning to get into the virtual real estate industry.

The national strategy also promotes the wide introduction of 5G network and technologies, that will allow for a better connection between VR and AR reality and everyday office and household devices, creating a complete continuum between the two. This is also given as a way to decentralize the service, as the bulk of operations will be located on the interconnected devices, and not in the cloud. There are also efforts that look into the concept of programmable matter, that would find many practical applications in science, medicine, technology, agriculture, and other fields.

What jobs will be in demand in the Dubai Metaverse?

Some of the leading crypto companies are present in the country and have been licensed under the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). Various companies will require a number of software engineers, architects, project managers, and other positions to fill in the rising demand.

The jobs that are currently being offered include:

AR Builders in different platforms (such as Minecraft, Roblox, Second Life, etc) – would include people who would manually create virtual buildings and whole cities, to accommodate future residents. It would also include actual architects and artists
VR Real Estate agents – there are already lots to be bought in Decentraland and Second Life, and real estate agencies are looking for fresh opportunities to venture into
Project managers – to help with the construction of new virtual spaces and experiences, coordinate the efforts of creating a fully-fledged metaverse
Web3 developers – to create new decentralized applications (dApps) that would be used in the metaverse and test them out. They will work closely with project managers and QA testers to develop the best user experience and bring it to the Metaverse.
Content creators – to produce experiences and stories that would take place in the virtual world. This wouldn’t just include regular online content creators, but creative writers, game designers, film directors, actors, musicians, and many more.
Virtual gallery hosts, will take care of digital art collections and exhibitions, curate them, and guide guests through immersive experiences.
VR Faculty personnel – academia might also go Meta, demanding international university staff from all over the world, without the actual need of relocating in the physical world
Metaverse Security Agents — to help with the development of security protocols and ensure the safety of users and prevent the misuse of the platform according to the official laws and regulations of Dubai. This is of great importance, as the city is already a major financial hub, and preventing financial misuse by fraudulent third parties is key to keeping the trust of prospective customers, in this case, citizens of the Metaverse.

All of these positions require different skill sets, and there are numerous job openings in all of these categories.

The most important thing for people looking for a job in the Metaverse is to have an open mind and be willing to learn new things. There is a lot of potential for growth in this industry, and it is still in its early stages. The jobs that are being created now will have a significant impact on the future of the Metaverse, and they will shape the way we interact with each other and with technology. If everything goes as planned by HRH bin Mohammad, the future of Dubai looks exciting and promising.