Fourteen per cent of the company's employees — specialising in engineering and government relations — are Emiratis
A group of Emirati students, who recently completed their studies in Sweden, have been offered full-time jobs at the Abu Dhabi facilities of defence and security company Saab.
The fresh graduates were part of Saab's first group of trainees under the Sustain and Enhance Emiratisation in Defence and Security (Seeds) programme.
Four Emiratis gained global experience through a six-month internship at Saab in Sweden, across many of the world’s most advanced industrial facilities. Seeds joins the company’s local partnership programmes to increase its Emiratisation rate across multiple departments.
“We are proud to welcome the inaugural cohort of Seeds trainees as full-time employees at our facilities in Abu Dhabi. As a leading defence and security company, Saab is uniquely placed to grow Emirati talent by equipping the next generation of Emirati leaders with engineering skills, as well as creating high-tech jobs with rewarding career paths,” said Anna-Karin Rosén, Managing Director of Saab in the UAE.
Seeds is an initiative created by the UAE defence and security industry enabler Tawazun Economic Council.
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With Saab's participation in the drive, trainees were given the opportunity to work alongside global experts and receive hands-on experience ahead of taking full-time roles. They worked across several departments, including aircraft systems, sub-system maintenance and logistics support, and software development.
Matar Ali Al Romaithi, chief officer of the Economic Development Unit at Tawazun Economic Council, said: "A core focus of Tawazun’s Economic Program involves people development and employment programs, identifying critical capabilities and inspiring a skilled national workforce through partnerships with companies such as Saab.”
Saab is committed to helping the country achieve its Emiratisation goals, with 14 percent of its workforce, specialised in engineering and government relations, comprising UAE nationals. The company will be making robust efforts in the next few years to nurture Emirati nationals with opportunities, with a particular focus on engineering in software development, mechanics, and electronic design.