Dubai: Al-Futtaim Group has increased its Emiratisation ratio with the completion of a six-month pilot retail training programme for 23 UAE nationals, who will now be full-fledged employees of one of the country's largest family owned business houses.
The group said the Emiratis will be part of the group's retail division which includes brands like Ikea, Ace, Marks & Spencer, Toys ‘R' Us and Intersport.
The young apprentices — five men and 18 women — were trained to be customer-centric. The training programme was conducted by the group's Emiratisation Department in association with the group's retail division and the Al-Futtaim Training Centre.
The 23 nationals, 15 from Fujairah and eight from Dubai, were put through a curriculum covering all aspects of retail. The group provided all the trainees from the Northern Emirate with accommodation and transport for the duration of the programme.
"The successful completion of the pilot training programme supported by Tanmia, Emirates Nationals Development Programme [ENDP] and the Government of Fujairah, further reiterates the group's commitment to recruit, train and develop Emiratis to take up responsible positions in the private sector," a statement said.
Zuhair Al Haj, senior general manager, group administration and Emiratisation, said: "The group is constantly looking at ways to utilise its enormous talent pool to train and develop young UAE nationals. The success of the retail training programme can be attributed to the commitment of the senior management and the invaluable support from federal institutions and the Government of Fujairah.
"We are confident the trainees will contribute positively to the future success of the group and be part of the company's vision to keep customers ahead of everything else," he added.
The Al-Futtaim Group, headquartered in Dubai, is structured into seven operational divisions: automotive, engineering, electronics and technology, retail, financial services, general services, real estate and joint ventures. It operates through more than 65 companies and employs more than 20,000 people across the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore and Europe.
