KUWAIT: The State of Kuwait provides its citizens with the right to employment after graduating from university by submitting a job application to the Civil Service Commission. However, despite the numerous available sectors, Kuwaitis eagerly compete for positions in the oil sector. To understand why Kuwaitis, whether fresh graduates or not, are so eager to join this sector over others, or at least prioritize it among their top choices, Kuwait Times, interviewed locals to listen to their opinions.

Zahra’a Murtadha, a Kuwaiti Industrial Engineer, shared with Kuwait Times her perspective on what makes working in the oil sector a favored choice for Kuwaitis, who make up 90.8 percent of the sector’s workforce. “Despite the immense responsibility associated with working in this sector and the challenges employees might face, ... Kuwaitis are usually competing for positions within it due to the privileges it offers more than the other sectors.”

She said the financial rewards provided to workers in the sector trump the challenges, which include the long commute to Kuwait City, the great responsibility that comes with the sector’s economic importance, long working hours, physical effort, and the hazardous locations. “Employees in the oil industry enjoy higher base salaries than their counterparts in other sectors. They also benefit from a range of allowances that add up to the overall income, such as remote location and risk allowance, shift allowance, social and child allowance, rising expenses in daily living allowance, housing allowance, travel tickets for the employee and their spouse, health insurance for the whole family, bonuses...etc.”

Sarah Al-Mutairi further elaborated that the majority are willing to endure the risks and responsibility of working in this sector because unlike other sectors, the oil sector lifts the overall quality of living not only for its employees but for their whole family, as well. “What makes this sector our first and favorite choice is because it improves the quality of our lives. For instance, the employee’s children are given the opportunity to study at the best private schools in Kuwait, thus, improving the quality of education, which is very important. As an employee in the oil sector, you are also given health insurance that covers your spouse and children, as well. It is true that your working hours are too long, but this is compensated for by longer paid leaves. For instance, you can have 42 days annual leave compared to 30 days in other working places. Thus, for every extra effort compared to other sectors there is a compensating reward that encourages many people to apply for the oil sector and look forward to working there.”