Young Emiratis who joined a national job training scheme for students in the UAE private sector have said it has enabled them to gain experience and shown them the benefits of working in the sector.
The one-year pilot programme, which was launched last year, helps prepare pupils in years 9, 10 and 11 and those in the final year of higher education for future careers in the private sector as part of the government's continuing Emiratisation drive.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which is overseeing the drive in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Council, said 1,780 young Emiratis were enrolled in the first phase of the Professional and Practical Training Programme.
"The Ministry provided more than 3,400 training opportunities at more than 500 companies, and 1,780 students participated in the programme from September 2023 until the end of the 2023-24 academic year," the ministry told The National.
The private sector is a place where you can develop yourself and position
Abdulrahman Al Blooshi,
22, IT graduate from the Higher College of Technology in Dubai
The initial one-year trial is set to be expanded over the next five years to include all learners in the eligible age groups.
"The programme will strengthen the bond between Emirati students and private sector companies, and encourage them to search for jobs in early stages," the ministry added.
Abdulrahman Al Blooshi, 22, an IT security graduate from the Higher College of Technology in Dubai, said the programme provided real training to gain work experience.
He joined Etisalat in September last year and worked on a project related to 5G mobile networks.
The Ajman-based Emirati student said he worked from 8am to 4pm in Dubai for a month.
"The new training programme gave me real experience. It was a great chance for me to work with Etisalat," Mr Al Blooshi told The National.
"They treated me like a real employee and allowed me to work on a project about the use of AI to develop information transportation between networks."
He said he believed that working in the private sector was better than the public sector.
"The programme supported my idea and I'm now searching for a job in the private sector," he said.
"The private sector is a place where you can develop yourself and position while employees in the public sector sit on their chairs for 10 years. You can get more experience by working in the private sector."
While he feels the private sector is "perfect", Mr Al Blooshi said he wished it included an end-of-service financial bonus for students who finish the programme.
Training programmes can last from two weeks to three months, depending on the year group of the participant.
Emirati graduate Shaikha Humaid Al Shamsi, 24, who underwent a placement at ENOC for three months from September to December last year, told The National that the programme enlightened her about the advantages of working in the private sector.
"Before joining the programme, I wasn't looking to work in the private sector," Ms Al Shamsi said.
A guide to Emirati benefits in the private sector – in pictures
"I didn't know that working hours and holidays are the same in both sectors. After my training, my main concern now is to find a job in the private sector."
Ms Al Shamsi said that working in the private sector provides better work experience and salary than the public sector.
She said that ENOC offered her a position to work in the quality department in Dubai, where she can utilise her quality management degree in the field.
"I was visiting ENOC stations to check the quality and safety procedures," she said. "The company gave me the chance to work in innovation, retail and learn management sectors.
"ENOC employees were also very co-operative as they wanted me to get real experience."
Ms Al Shamsi also agreed that a financial bonus should be given to students enrolled in the programme as they are undertaking duties similar to any other employee in the company.
"Getting experience is more important but it would be nice to get a bonus," she said.
The ministry said those taking part in training will be entered into one of two tracks, including a "general track", which covers general high schools and advanced education and a "professional track" that includes all stages of secondary and post-secondary education.
The UAE's Nafis programme was introduced in September 2021 with a mission to ensure 10 per cent of jobs in the private sector were taken up by citizens by the end of 2026, as part of a major Emiratisation push.
The UAE wants Emiratis to play a significant role in the private sector, which remains a driving force for economic development.
Companies must increase their Emirati workforce by 1 per cent every six months under the campaign.
Employers in the UAE with at least 50 members of staff are expected to meet a 4 per cent target by the end of the year.
The Emirati employment rate will increase to 6 per cent next year, 8 per cent in 2025 and 10 per cent in 2026.
Watch: Every company in the UAE will soon employ an Emirati
The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Book%20Details
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
