While getting lost in the world of video and online games represents a major part of childhood, Gen-Z seems like the generation who is making the most out of it. 

According to a new research commissioned by YouTube, Gen-Z in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are learning problem-solving and strategic skills through gaming, giving them confidence to tackle problems in the work world. Around 63% of the youth say that they have become more confident by playing video games. Gaming is equipping the youth to land their first jobs, says the study.

The research conducted by Censuswide found that 80% of employers in the UAE are more likely to hire gamers who can talk about the skills they acquired through gaming. YouTube’s study revealed that a massive 87% of recruiters in Saudi Arabia are more likely to hire someone who is a gamer.

Though more than 60% of youth say that gaming has given them confidence to tackle real-world problems, only 40% were likely to mention gaming as their hobby or interest in their CVs.

Employers look for skills like communication, problem solving and ability to work under pressure with a calm mind while looking for new people for entry-level positions. These are the skills 74% of respondents said to have acquired while playing with their peers, along with gaining confidence, another skill much valued by recruiters. 

Interestingly, there are approximately 21 million gamers in the kingdom, as the country aims to be a global hub for gaming. The gaming community is also strong in the UAE, where some of the top UAE-based gaming creators like Rima, Basharkk, ZayedGaming and KhaliDasEC0 have more than 10 million subscribers combined and over 2 billion public views on YouTube.