The UAE’s Emiratisation drive received a further boost with a fresh slew of initiatives announced on Sunday, accelerating the pace that has been covering ground at a good pace.
The move encompasses a wide range of impetuses, beginning with the creation of 20,000 jobs in top-tier sectors such as banking, aviation, telecommunications, insurance and real estate sectors; a baseline attention to hiring practices — administrative and supervisory positions in the government sector will be restricted to only Emiratis — and a strong push in the private sector with 160 jobs prioritised for Emiratis.
These broad agents of change will be aided by a host of support systems, prominent for their efficacy. For example, the allocation of a portion of VAT revenues to create Emirati graduate development programmes, along with a Dh30million fund, is excellent channelling of fiscal boosts in the 10-point resolutions that also include equalising pensions and benefits for Emirati employees in the government, semi-government and private sectors.
The commitment to creating a level-playing field underpins the UAE’s Emiratisation drive and over the years, the strategic policies have yielded strong results. During 2018, Emiratisation of jobs reached the 200 per cent mark.
Beginning with the creation of 20,000 jobs in top-tier sectors such as banking, aviation, telecommunications, insurance and real estate sectors; a baseline attention to hiring practices — administrative and supervisory positions in the government sector will be restricted to only Emiratis
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, tweeted in January, “We need to double our efforts in 2019.” The momentum is, clearly, visible.
In March this year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced that more than 30,000 private sector jobs would be up for grabs for Emiratis in 2019, underscoring a critical priority in Emiratisation — the role of the private sector.
The UAE is ensuring that it supports the private sector in fundamental ways to help the latter lend its weight to the National Employment Policy. The Emiratisation Partners Club (Tawteen Partners Club), launched last year, is a huge accelerator as are other incentives such as reduced recruitment fees for private sector companies announced in May.
The setting up of an annual Emiratisation Index, part of the new 10 resolutions announced on Sunday, will play a significant role in highlighting the efforts of sectors across the board.
These are all indispensable components of the consolidated picture of the UAE’s diversified, robust economy that provides equal play to attracting global talent along with seamlessly integrating Emiratisation with its national development to march ahead as a role model nation of the 21st century.
