UAE ministry announces 15,000 opportunities for job seekers

A total of 15,000 private sector job opportunities for Emiratis will be created by the end of this year, announced the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation on Wednesday. 
"Achieving this challenge will only work if everyone takes a responsibility, because the responsibility for Emiratisation is between companies, governments, education sectors, and the Emiratis themselves," said Minister Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli.
The Minister pointed out that a 'Tawteen Agenda' has been created, which works hand-in-hand with the key performance indicator of national agenda of 2021, that includes having five per cent of all Emiratis working in the private sector, and 50 per cent of the national workforce in general to be working in the private sector.
He said the Ministry's Tawteen Agenda focuses on Emiratis joining the private sector.
"It also encourages the private sector to accept the UAE nationals."
In order to achieve the national agenda the Ministry has set a programme that comprises three phases: Accelerating recruitment, enabling the requirement of Emiratis, and raising the competitive advantage of UAE nationals.
"We will focus on targeting certain industries with certain jobs based on criteria, and these jobs will be for Emiratisation."
"We will also launch a campaign to encourage Emiratis to think about the private sector in a strategic way."
The Ministry also launched the Tawteen Partnership Club, which provides 2000 private sector companies that are participating in Emriatiation programmes with incentives, to hire 400 Emiratis with an average salary of Dh 10000 per month, and as a return will have their business fees cut-down.
"We are also launching 1500 satellite offices for the private sector companies who are interested in hiring UAE nationals from the northern emirates, in condition that they hire Emiratis from the same emirate."
"Currently we launched this initiative in a pilot phase with Emirates NBD, and we managed to hire 10 UAE nationals working in Khor Fakkan.
Emiratis working in private sector on the rise
The Minister said that by providing career counseling, following up the process of recruitment, encouraging Emiratis to join the private sector, supporting the small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs, preparing programmes to close the gap of competency, as well as collaborating with educational institutes, the number of Emiratis joining the private sector grew by a whopping 22 per cent in 2017. 
In 2016, the total number of Emiratis hired in the private sector were 5608, however, the number increased to 6862 by 31 December 2017.
The Minister said that the launch of the Tawteen Gate, which is one of the E-portals the Ministry is using to identify the candidates who are looking for jobs, has also increased the number of Emirati jobseekers in the private sector.
Currently the portal reveals there are 4155 job seekers, 63 per cent of which are female and 37 per cent are male.
The strategy of 2018-2021 
One of the initiatives set by the Ministry includes implementing Law Number 14, which illustrates that Emiratis must be given the opportunity to be hired, prior to expats.
Another initiative is educating the mindset of young Emirati jobseekers about joining the private sector.
"Today, we have fresh graduates who focus solely on getting a job in the government."
"The young jobseekers see their parents, who are from a completely different generation, working in the government - so by default, their mindset wants that government position."
"We need to change this mindset and change the perspective. In the last 30 years the UAE has adapted to many changes, and I am sure the society will adapt to this change, with acceptance."
'Camouflage Emiratisation' 
The Minister said private companies who do not comply with Emiratisation will be confronted by the Ministry.
"Some companies only pretend to go through Emiratsation, but we are not naive, we are aware of what they are doing and we will confront them."
He said a Tawteen portal will reveal if companies prioritise expats before Emiratis for job positions.
"If they issue the work visa for the expat, it will be linked to the portal, and it will automatically reveal all the Emiratis who are fit for this position."
jasmine@khaleejtimes.com