What is life after retirement like for a Dubai Police officer? Meet Retired Brigadier General Yousef Al Shaibani
After serving the force for nearly 35 years, the official found purpose and meaning again
Dubai: The experiences, knowledge and skills that Retired Brigadier General Yousef Al Shaibani gained during nearly 35 of service at Dubai Police inspired and enabled him to build a fulfilling life after retirement.
He was recently featured in the April edition of Dubai Police’s security magazine. Retd Brig Gen Al Shaibani, who had joined the force in 1982, told Gulf News that though he has moved on from professional life, he still has Dubai Police close to his heart.
“Dubai Police is my first home, and the professional environment in which I grew up, moving around nearly 35 years in ranks and positions, working between its different departments, gradually gaining experiences that influenced my work on the professional and personal levels,” he said.
“This bundle of experience that I gained was the fuel to start a new phase in my life after retirement.”
He extended his gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and for the courses Dubai Police offers to its employees in all fields that give them expertise and experiences that qualify them to work on projects in their new lives.
A dream fulfilled
His work related to traffic and traffic accidents proved instrumental in realising his dream of running his own car workshop after retirement.
“My passion for mechanical work was not limited to carrying out tasks related to the job, but rather it was a hobby. In the beginning, the idea was shared with some friends, then I developed and started planning for an individual project, opening a car mechanics workshop with distinct specifications, and indeed, I set the goal that took eight months to achieve, and the workshop was finally established.”
Retd Brig Gen Al Shaibani said besides his own planning, from ideation to implementation of the project, the conducive business environment of Dubai and the support for owners of Small and Medium Enterprises greatly helped him. His two sons also assisted him in his project. He has installed CCTV cameras in the workshop so that he can monitor the work remotely even when he is away.
Finding purpose
When asked if he considers retirement a closure, Retd Brig Gen Al Shaibani said: “From my point of view, it is the beginning of a new phase, which is no less important than the other stages of life, in which you become more stable in terms of material and psychological aspects, and you also find yourself searching for some things in which you find your happiness, which is your deepest meaning in life, because a person cannot live without strong motivation.
“Finding meaning in life is a basis for survival, and finding meaning in the life of a retired person to achieve financial goals and gains is not only important but necessary for psychological and social balance. Therefore, it is a new stage that needs proper planning and optimal use of time and effort, and it is the stage of realising individual dreams.”
His advice to retirees and the younger generation is to strive to establish their dreams on a solid foundation.
“Start early, and when the curtain falls on a stage of your professional life - full of challenges, achievements, and social and appreciation - you will gain freedom through retirement.”