Training seeks out talent in regions

Two new projects aimed at cultivating Emiratis living in isolated areas of the country into managers in industry have been running with an eye to accelerating the nation's development. The schemes are designed to give new opportunities to those living in the sparsely populated Al Gharbia and the northern emirates, offering them critical work experience and training in key industries. "Introducing young individuals from the western and northern regions to private sector opportunities will help enhance access to economic development," said Khuloud al Nuwais, the projects director at the Emirates Foundation, a nationwide initiative led by private- and public-sector partnerships.

In one project, women were given work experience in the oil and gas industry, in which they were tutored by executives from ADCO and Dolphin Energy. Authorities in the country's more remote regions have publicly expressed concern that talented young people are seeking jobs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, where more employment and education opportunities exist. In Al Gharbia, however, Emirati women are being introduced to employment opportunities in the oil and gas sector through a seminar due to conclude on Wednesday. In the northern emirates, a summer training project has been equipping university students with skills needed for private-sector work.

Bridge to Success and Leadership Academy are two of eight pilot projects developed by Tawteen, a special programme managed by the Emirates Foundation that seeks to enhance work-related skills and job awareness among Emiratimen and women. Ms Nuwais said one of the goals of the Bridge to Success scheme was to reach out to an untapped reservoir of talented women living in more isolated areas of Al Gharbia.

According to the Ministry of Labour, foreigners make up 90 per cent of private-sector employees. About 13 per cent of the Emirati population is unemployed, despite the existence of Emiratisation quotas that require a minimum percentage of jobs in certain economic sectors to be filled by Emiratis. The 23 female university students participating in Bridge to Success toured oil fields and observed day-to-day office activities at several energy firms. They took part in problem-solving exercises, learnt how various departments of energy companies function and met with executives from Dolphin Energy and the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO). The two energy companies, along with the British Council, sponsored the programme and helped to design its curriculum. To simulate working in a real-world work environment, the women were given a stipend of Dh2,500 (US$680) and docked a day's salary if they missed any of the sessions. Economic torpor in Al Gharbia has sparked an exodus of talented individuals to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which, according to local authorities, threatens to undermine future economic growth. To reverse this, the Western Region Municipality recently announced schemes aimed at retaining educated individuals as well as improving the provision of services in the far-flung area. Ms Nuwais said women in the region faced challenges to finding employment in sectors other than the Government. Many lacked sufficient information about opportunities in the private sector, she said, and came from conservative family backgrounds that made parents sceptical of employment for women. This could be especially problematic for women wanting to work in the energy sector, which has long been dominated by men. "You know the culture is still quite conservative in some regions," Ms Nuwais said. "So we need to make sure that the families are comfortable that their daughters are working in a safe environment." Long-standing preferences for government jobs also played a limiting role, she said. "Families tend to push their kids to work immediately in the public sector" because government jobs were perceived to be reliable. Essentially, Ms Nuwais said, "you graduate, there is a job for you with the Government, and you get paid very well." Tawteen also targeted students from the northern emirates this summer in an effort to equip them with the necessary mindset and relevant skills needed for work in the private sector. Male and female college and university students involved in the Leadership Academy were given four weeks of intensive training before being split into groups and presented with a challenge: to conduct and present research on the underlying problems of the absence of Emiratis in the private sector. Tutors monitored the way in which the 24 students used their newly acquired leadership skills to carry out the task. "We need institutions that can develop our skills," said Ahmad al Awadi, 21, a student at Higher Colleges of Technology in Ras al Khaimah. "We also need good training programmes in schools that will be able to enrich our skills. "Many Emiratis have talents and hobbies, but they do not take us seriously here. We shouldn't be criticising foreigners for taking our jobs. We need to learn from them and become motivated from an early age." Recalling his own ambition to be a writer, Mr Awadi said neither his school nor his college provided him with the motivation or opportunities to develop his talent. "I went to a two-month intensive course in the United States recently and noticed how different it is there. We should learn how to create programmes that help us carry our skills to the real world," he said. Many of the students said a lack of leadership qualities discouraged Emiratis to apply to the private sector. Another significant barrier was the "disconnect" between the private and public sectors. "We were not made aware of the private sector, and how we can use our education to become a part of it," said Ali al Hamoudi, 20, a student at Khalifa University. "Local television channels and newspapers should help the Government in raising awareness of the positive aspects of working in the private sector. "There are more opportunities for growth there. And although you might start with a lower salary, you also get promoted quicker if you work hard enough." Mohammed al Shehi, 19, a student from RAK, said: "The most important thing I have learnt from taking part is that Emirati youth are capable of persevering. We want to break the stereotype that we are a lazy group of people who are fed with silver spoons." Other initiatives managed by Tawteen included a training programme held in Sharjah in April that helped 12 aspiring entrepreneurs develop business plans with the help of five Emirati business professionals who had taken on mentorship roles, in partnership with Shell. In July, women in Al Ain went through a similar course that promoted entrepreneurship and business skills development. The project was delivered in partnership with DLA Piper and ADCB as part of wider research on women in the workplace. Tawteen plans to expand its projects in the near future, including introducing career counselling at state schools. hnaylor@thenational.ae tramahi@thenational.ae