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UAE ministry training, upskilling Emirati talents for demands of job market

More than 4,200 Emirati youth from across the UAE participated in an Abu Dhabi career exhibition last month

Published: Mon 27 May 2024, 5:33 PM

Updated: Mon 27 May 2024, 10:12 PM

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Photos: Supplied

Photos: Supplied

The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) is aiming to harmonise the capabilities of Emirati national talents with the skills required by the job market and national industrial companies, an official said.

“The requirements include skilled individuals who can fulfil technical jobs in factories and companies operating in sectors such as agricultural technologies, food and beverages, electric and hybrid vehicles, the service sector, oil and gas, packaging, advanced industries, construction and real estate, and quality infrastructure,” Salama Al Awadhi, director of National Value Added at the MoIAT, told Khaleej Times.

Al Awadhi noted that the MoIAT is “working to cultivate” the UAE’s deep talent pool of nationals through programmes and initiatives designed to empower and upskill them.

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“Programmes such as Pioneers 4.0 and the Industrialists Career Exhibition, in addition to immediate interviews, offer training programmes at some of the country’s leading training centres,” she said.

Salama Al Awadhi

Salama Al Awadhi

More than 4,200 Emirati youth from across the UAE participated in the second edition of the Industrialists Career Exhibition held in Abu Dhabi last month.

Hosted by the MoIAT, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), and Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis), and ADNOC, the exhibition provided more than 10,000 immediate interviews to more than 83 companies in the national advanced industry and technology sector.

There were 800 job opportunities offered, including 150 jobs for Emirati people of determination in private companies.

Focus on STEM, future skills

The MoIAT, she said, actively supports STEM education and vocational training to help drive the participation of Emiratis in the private sector, in line with the government’s Emiratisation strategy.

“STEM education is critical to the UAE’s national strategy for industry and advanced technology, which aims to increase the adoption of 4IR solutions," Al Awadhi said.

"As well as encouraging our youth – and especially women – to pursue STEM subjects, the ministry promotes vocational training through initiatives such as the Industrialists Career Exhibition, which aims to provide more than 1,000 job opportunities by the end of the year, as well as training programmes,” she added.

She noted that this year’s career exhibition offered participants with opportunities to learn new skills to prepare them to succeed in future industries.

Asked about challenges in finding the right talent, she underlined that the education system is empowering students.

“The UAE has a wealth of local talent, and the ministry is working hard to identify this talent and promote careers within the private sector. One of the main challenges is finding the skills to match the needs of future industries."

"Fortunately, the UAE’s education system is evolving to teach future skills in sectors such as AI and quantum physics. Further to this, training programmes offered under the Industrialists Career Exhibition are geared specifically to providing talent with skills that match future industries, supporting the sustainability and long-term prospects of the country’s industrial sector,” Al Awadhi said.

Women in private sector

Al Awadhi is optimistic about the future role of Emirati women in the private sector, especially in advanced sectors.

“The UAE is very proud of the increased participation of women in the labour market, owing to robust empowerment initiatives initiated by the leadership. Emirati women are more determined than ever to pursue technical and specialist jobs. The competitiveness of Emirati women in the labour market will support the sustainability of the industrial sector, which relies on a robust pipeline of local talent,” she said.

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