Dubai: People of determination from the Emirati community seeking jobs met private sector employers in Dubai recently as part of a recruitment drive organised by the Government Accelerators programme of the UAE.
The UAE nationals were interviewed by around a dozen companies at the Government Accelerators’ main office in Emirates Towers.
Besides private companies, there was also at least one semi-government corporation as well as a team from Expo 2020.
Government Accelerators was established in 2016 to fast-track the delivery of services and policies in coordination with government entities, the private sector, academic institutions, and NGOs.
Nationwide drive
The recruitment drive in Dubai came as part of an ongoing nationwide programme to promote greater social inclusion and employment for Emirati people of determination.
Officials had identified “a high unemployment rate” among them despite a majority of the candidates possessing a higher education qualification, said Sendeyah Ebrahim Saad Yaaqib, team leader for the employment of people of determination at Government Accelerators.
To close the employment gap, the programme is organising the recruitment drive across the UAE, added Yaaqib, who is also senior specialist of Emiratisation relationships at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which has been appointed by Government Accelerators to lead the programme.
“We came to understand that more than 80 per cent of the people of determination have a higher education qualification and we also came to understand the different kinds of special needs for them … We’re targeting the vacancies at the companies that we have a partnership with and we match the candidates with them,” said Yaaqib said.
She added: “We’re doing this with the help of experts from the Ministry of Community Development … For example, we have experts who can read sign language, to assist with the process if need be.”
‘Strong movement’
The recruitment drive is part of the “strong movement” in the UAE for greater social inclusion of people of determination and complements the aim of Al Nabooda Automobiles to place such candidates in the company, said Ines Albert, General Manager, Organisational Development and HR, Al Nabooda Automobiles.
“This is a welcome opportunity for us to get in touch in person with some of the candidates and, hopefully, hire a number of them. We’ve identified a number of vacancies in the company but we’re also quite open to talk to anyone that we meet to see if they can find places even above and beyond that,” she added.
‘360-degree approach’
Albert said the company takes “a 360 degree” approach on the hiring process for people of determination. That includes inviting candidates to the actual workplace, instead of holding a typical interview in an office.
“It’s important we see the actual comfort level both ways … and then conclude the agreement from there.”
‘Wonderful opportunity’
Emirati candidate Omar Hussain Mahmood Abdulla, 41, said he had a promising meeting with a private employer at the event and was confident of securing employment.
Dubai-based Abdulla said he has worked in both the public and private sector as well as having experience as an entrepreneur. Abdulla said he had been a Public Relations manager at a popular sports goods chain.
“More Emiratis are taking up jobs in the private sector as we are keen to gain the experiences offered there. I think today’s event is a wonderful opportunity for both parties to meet and take it forward from there,” he added.
