Dubai Knowledge Village: Developing the region’s talent pool

As Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV) marks a decade of growth, Ibrahim Moosa Jamel, Director of Operations at Education Cluster of TECOM Investments that include DKV and DIAC, speaks on what Dubai Knowledge Village is, where its focus lies, along with the role it plays within the region’s HR industry. 

How have the aims and ambitions of DKV progressed in the last 10 years?

Dubai Knowledge Village was established in 2003 as a home for corporate training to support the Government of Dubai’s vision to develop the region’s talent pool and transform the UAE into a knowledge-based economy.

At the start, the focus was initially to cater to the immediate HR needs of the booming industries within the free zones then gradually stretch the coverage over the entire country and region.

Over the past decade, Knowledge Village has evolved into a premier destination for training and development, human resource management and executive search in the region.

In recent years, we have witnessed a dramatic shift in the way HR is perceived by internal and external audiences. Once seen as a peripheral support function, HR is now increasingly ingrained into a business’ core strategy.

The GCC, which is now well on the road to economic recovery, is waking up to the crucial role that HR can play in making sure the right people are in the right jobs, are trained properly, are equipped for the working environment and are used to their maximum potential.

Organisations now see talent management as a business imperative. They are willing to make the necessary investment in effective and targeted learning and development initiatives to cultivate a highly qualified workforce. DKV is a one-stop-shop for them.

Today, DKV continues to meet the needs of businesses by attracting organisations and companies who will train, develop and effectively manage the region’s workforce. It also provides a home for recruiters who can then match these new skills to the needs of local employers.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, DKV is working to establish itself as a centre of excellence for HRM by providing a wide variety of respected organisations offering a range of qualifications in line with market training requirements. 

How would you describe DKV’s growth trajectory through the 10 years?

We started in 2003 with 47 business partners. Today, DKV is home to 500 companies; these include leading names such as SHRM, Eton Institute, City & Guild, SHL, Gallup, Towers Watson, Stafford Associates, Hays, Hewitt Carmichael Fisher MEA and Protocol School of Washington.

Remarkable growth has been achieved over the past ten years. Last year, we saw an overall growth of 24 per cent as 80 new HR and education institutes signed up to the business park, up from 61 new partners in 2011. These rising figures are testament to the fact that DKV continues to attract leading organisations as it further cements its position as a centre of excellence for the HR sector. 

What are the key factors driving DKV’s growth and development?

The growing demand for human capital talent influenced by Dubai’s competitive drive and the wider region’s economic strategy, is one of the key contributors to DKV’s success. Over the next few years, we expect to continue to see this boom in demand for quality HR management resources across the region, particularly in relation to nationalisation and transfer of knowledge programmes.

Local governments and the industry will be looking to these institutions, many of which sit within Dubai Knowledge Village, to support them to develop a workforce that is well-equipped with the right knowledge, efficiency and skills to secure a sustainable UAE for future generations.

Additionally, we have a dedicated Partner Development Team to ensure the on-going visibility and growth of our partners through initiatives specifically designed to equip them for success such as the Breakfast Club, Training Open Week, and SME Builder. Our partners also benefit from our relationships with Government and regulatory authorities. 

What are your future plans for the vocational educational community of Dubai?

Our vision for the next 10 years is to refine what Dubai Knowledge Village stands for, whilst making sure we remain in tune with the voice of industry. We are now focusing on helping our business partners align their offering with the needs of the industry, whilst ensuring that the right people are matched to the right jobs, are trained properly, and are properly equipped for the working environment. All this combined is important for both businesses and employees to reach their full potential.

In line with the strategy, DKV’s education partner for higher studies - Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) recently launched the region’s first Workforce Planning Study; this study analyses workforce skills gaps in the region and identifies ways to address them through close collaborations between academia and industry.

Subsequently we hosted a forum showcasing top thinkers and professionals in the field of technical vocational industries to discuss and debate the report findings; this highlighted that there are 64 separate skills currently in high demand across a range of sectors inthe region. The skill requirement includes those skills sets required for vocational industries.

DKV will be looking at sector specific needs to ensure sufficient numbers of well-qualified vocational education and training professionals are available to meet the emerging needs of business and industry – this will be a core part of our strategy moving forward. This effort ties back to the government’s wider vision of developing a knowledge-base, diversified and sustainable economy.

We will also be able to screen potential academic partners, using this evidence to ensure that the programmes offered are relevant and serve the needs of business, which will definitely help combat employment issues. 

What role is DKV playing in helping drive the development of the region’s talent pool and workforce for a knowledge-based economy?

DKV is facilitating the development of a highly qualified and productive workforce to support the competitive knowledge-based economy of the UAE. We are doing this by increasing access to industry specific training and developing the professional skills and knowledge required to be competitive and secure a sustainable future.We also provide a home for recruiters to match these new skillsets with local employers.

We are committed to supporting the development of a highly competent local workforce in line with the Emiratisation programme that sits at the very heart of government agenda.

A recent study by Gulf Talent revealed that 86% of Emirati male graduates and 66% of females would prefer to work in the public sector upon graduation. Multinational corporations are the second most popular choice, while UAE private sector companies are the least popular.

This is where our HR management and professional training companies has a crucial role to play in helping to engineer a shift in perception to both attract and retain Emiratis within the private sector.

HR professionals are looking at how best to communicate the benefits of working within the private sector - which include job satisfaction, career development opportunities, knowledge transfer - and creating a proposition that truly taps into the Emirati psyche. The launch of the government’s Absher Initiative last year, which is designed to boost the number of UAE nationals working in the private sector, will help significantly with this.