Abu Dhabi: A Dh24 billion programme to hire 75,000 Emiratis in the private sector in the next five years was unveiled in Abu Dhabi as part of 50 new projects to boost the UAE development, to mark its 50th anniversary since its unification.
The event was held in Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and was attended by Cabinet ministers and senior officials.
The projects announced by the government include setting up the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, Dh1 billion Alumni Fund to grant micro-loans to university students and recent graduates, a monthly allowance of up to Dh800 per child, up to a maximum amount of Dh3,200 for citizens in the private sector, Dh1.25 billion will be allocated so that specialised training programmes and 10 per cent Emiratisation target in skilled roles in the private sector in five years, said Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
An integrated programme will also train and employ 10,000 Emirati nursing professionals within the next five years. Training will be provided in three tracks including for health assistants, a higher diploma in Emergency Medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Al Gergawi added.
The minister said a 12-month vocational training programme will be launched in cooperation with private and semi-governmental companies, with monthly financial rewards for trained personnel. This aims to support beneficiaries with experience that qualifies them to join distinguished jobs in the private sector.
Most active economy
Al Gergawi said, “We are meeting today to launch a project related to two of The Principles of the 50: the fourth principle, which stress that the main driver of development is human capital, and the second principle, which emphasis that building the best and most active economy in the world is a top national priority.”
He added, “The government will bear the cost of training Emiratis in the private sector for up to a full year during the training period, with a monthly salary of Dh8,000 for university students, as well as supporting the salaries of citizens in the private sector for a period of 5 years after employment, and with a maximum of Dh 5,000 per month.”
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said on his Twitter account, “Within the second package of the fifty projects, my brother, the President of the State, may God protect him, directed the allocation of 24 billion dirhams to stimulate the private sector to accommodate 75,000 citizens, allowances for their children, training and upskilling, and a new fund to support graduate projects.”
His Highness Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said on his twitter account, “Consistent with our ambitions to empower our people and enhance the strength and sustainability of our economy, the UAE is launching a dedicated plan to boost the employment of UAE citizens in the private sector, which will play a vital role in our nation’s long-term development.”
First childcare allowance
In the first childcare allowance in the UAE, Emiratis in the private sector will receive a monthly allowance of up to Dh800 per child, up to a maximum of Dh3,200, till each child turns 21 years old, it was announced on Sunday as part of a sweeping programme of reforms and financial incentives to create new private sector opportunities for both young and experienced Emiratis.
With an investment of Dh 24 billion, the UAE plans to create 75,000 new private sector jobs for Emiratis over the next five years, Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs told an event held in Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The event, attended by Cabinet ministers and senior officials, the government set out the second 13 of the projects of the 50, marking the UAE’s 50th anniversary of its unification.
An integrated programme will also train and employ 10,000 Emirati nursing professionals within the next five years. Training will be provided in three tracks including for healthcare assistants, a higher diploma in Emergency Medicine and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Al Gergawi said.
The programme is supported and led by Fatima College of Health Sciences and ACTVET, the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
The new projects include grants for students and fresh graduates to take up private sector roles, a Dh1 billion graduate business development fund, and unemployment benefit as well as career break and early retirement schemes for Federal government employees starting new businesses.
“A decent life for our citizens, their children and the generations to come remains our greatest priority,” said UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Working with the private sector to enhance career prospects is the way to ensure that those opportunities endure for decades to come.”
Announcing the new initiatives, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said, “As we mark our 50th year as a nation, we are evolving from building world-class national infrastructure to creating brilliant sources of value and human capital. Our people are our pride and our future and we are investing to build the ideas and aspirations of our youth to create new futures in our successful business, trade and knowledge economy,”
The programme will be managed by the newly created Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, a body chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the aim of building private sector partnerships to drive 75,000 new jobs for Emiratis.
The initiatives include the Emirati Salary Support Scheme, a one-year salary support of up to Dh 8,000 per month paid to Emiratis to incentivise the recruitment and training of graduates in private sector companies. A monthly support of up to Dh5,000 will be paid for up to five years. Both sets of salary support schemes are subject to certain terms and are based on a range of defined target salaries.
The Merit Programme gives a monthly Dh5,000 top-up to Emirati workers in specialised fields, including nurses, accountants and financial auditors, commercial lawyers, financial analysts and coders; the Pension Programme provides a subsidised five-year government-paid contribution on the company’s behalf against the cost of pension plans for Emirati staff and full support for the Emirati’s contribution across the first five years of their employment, said Ghannam Al Mazroui, Secretary General of the newly formed Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “Empowering our people is at the core of our plans for the future.”
Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed added the government programme aims to strengthen the participation of highly qualified Emirati talents in the private sector, which plays a pivotal part in the UAE’s development towards the future.
Competitive economy
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said, “We believe in the determination of our citizens to build the region’s most competitive economy.”
Private sector companies will be able to build the Emirati contribution to their workforce over time. Focused on placing Emiratis in the private sector, the effort will start with a target of 2% Emiratis in skilled roles contribution rising in scale to a 10 per cent Emirati contribution over the coming five years.
Vocational training and development programs, include the Talent Program, an Dh1.25 billion investment in developing specialised vocational skills for Emiratis, with internationally recognised certifications in property management, accounting and business management and the Apprentice Programme, a train-to-hire initiative to build vocational training for Emiratis in private and semi-private companies with a range of financial awards across a number of business sectors.
An Dh1 billion Graduate Fund is to be dedicated to giving microloans to final year university students and fresh graduates in order to support them in exploring new business startups. The scheme will be implemented in collaboration with UAE universities.
A new scheme will support Unemployment Benefit to be paid to Emiratis working in the private sector, who lose their jobs due to circumstances beyond their control, giving them a 6-month period to find another position.
Two new programmes are aimed at encouraging Emiratis with established careers in Federal Government to join the private sector. The Startup Break initiative will begin in 2022 and provide a subsidized career break for Emiratis in Federal Government positions to start a business of between 6-12 months, covering 50% of the employee’s salary.
In addition, an Early Retirement Scheme will provide an opportunity for Emiratis in Federal Government positions to explore new business opportunities and take early retirement to start a new private sector business while retaining their full pension entitlement.
Alternatively they can elect to receive a lump sum golden handshake payment. Both schemes will be open to a limited number of staff each year with employer approval.
