Business & Money | Thursday 23 March, 2017 2:00 am |

With only 4% of UAE nationals occupying the private sector jobs allocated for Emiratis, private organisations are recognising the needs of the millennial generation and are launching a range of programmes to attract fresh graduates into the sector.

Emirati job seekers will be able to tap into these new employment initiatives at the 17th edition of Careers UAE next month, as companies of all shapes and sizes across dozens of related industries prepare to recruit, train and educate locals over the three day fair.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the event is dedicated to empowering UAE nationals in the workforce and will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 9-11 April.

Leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer, Majid Al Futtaim who recruited a number of graduates at last year’s show, are actively searching for Emiratis to join their 2017 Tomouhi Programme, which helps develop high performing UAE nationals into the company’s future leaders.

“Cultivating entrepreneurship and creative thinking across all aspects of the workforce encourages employees to get involved in building the future direction of the company; and therefore, we believe it is vital to create a business environment that recognises and rewards individual performance and impact,” said Mouien Al Madhoun, Chief Human Capital Officer, Majid Al Futtaim.

“We are looking for graduates who are naturally curious, fast learners, hard workers and share our desire to create great moments for everyone, every day. With UAE locals tending to steer more towards the public sector due to the perceived advantages, it is important that private companies are able to offer rewarding opportunities which create a sense of purpose, meet international standards and provide cultural diversity so that Emiratis feel they are beneficial and important for their learning curve. The younger generation is also looking for more in the work place both personally and professionally, and we believe that the programmes we provide at Majid Al Futtaim such as our 18-month graduate training programme Tomouhi aim to offer this advantage to job seekers.

“Following our success at Careers UAE 2016 which proved to be very fruitful, we look forward to meeting new graduates and professionals this year at our stand and encourage them to consider Majid Al Futtaim as their next growth destination.”

In line with Dubai Plan 2021 and the seven-year National Agenda to increase Emiratisation in the private sector 10 times by 2021, top organisations from around the world will be highlighting opportunities for graduates and young professionals to join their teams at Careers UAE 2017.

His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “Through our National Development Programme (NDP); a training initiative for national employees in the UAE, we hope to help achieve the government’s vision in building a knowledge-based economy that is driven by learning and development programmes. ENOC has created thousands of jobs in the UAE and abroad and will continue to support long-term career development for the next generation.

“Bolstering local talents is one of our key priorities as a national oil company operating across the energy value chain, and as our portfolio of services and operations continues to grow in Dubai and internationally, we plan to ramp up our recruitment efforts to enhance human capital development and facilitate the growth of our organisation. Emiratisation will remain a key priority for us as we continue to pursue new projects in Dubai and beyond and remain committed to reach a target of 50% Emiratisation by 2021.”

Aetna International, HSBC, Pepsi-Cola, Serco, Commercial Bank International and Standard Chartered are among a host of international private companies gearing up for the three-day job fair next month, which will see UAE nationals come face to face with a wide range of country leading corporates across more than 20 industries.

Hessa Al Ghurair, CHRO, Commercial Bank International said: “We were successful last year in hiring a number of candidates for a range of positions such as tellers, call centre agents, finance and IT specialists. We want to recruit and develop Emirati talent, with a special focus on female leadership and empowerment. Candidates should not be afraid to work from the bottom up and should consider the benefits of the private sector before entering the workforce. At the same time private companies need to educate job seekers and raise awareness for the different opportunities they offer to ensure they are attracting Emirati employees from the start. Careers UAE provides the perfect platform for us to showcase our latest programmes and initiatives and expose us to the best local talent in the market.”

With increased innovation in the public sector from digitisation and the establishment of new Ministries, a host of government entities will also be out in full force at the recruitment show, as they offer Emiratis an innovative space to explore new heights in customer service excellence and the ease of doing business.

In addition to public and private companies highlighting recruitment options and Emiratisation programmes across the UAE, Careers UAE 2017 will also see InternsME Talent Hunt which allows visitors to meet, be interviewed and get hired on-the-spot.

Taking part this year will be Gold Sponsors Dubai Electronic Security Centre and National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Strategic Government Partner Dubai Government Human Resources, Bank Sponsor Commercial Bank of Dubai and partner UAE University, as well as organisations such as Dubai Health Authority, HQ Dubai Police, Standard Chartered and Emirates Group.

Other activities during Careers UAE 2017 include Mission Possible, a treasure quest format that puts visitors’ knowledge to the test and the opportunity to win prizes, as well as Hopscotch Women’s Conference, a new feature to the show, which takes place on 10 April and provides female delegates with hands-on training, coaching, inspiration and opportunities for women in the workplace.

Careers UAE returns 9-11 April 10am-6pm (10 April 2017 10am-1pm – Ladies Only) with support from Strategic Careers Partner, Bayt.com; Youth Employment Partner, InternsME; and Partners Tanmia, Zayed University, Higher Colleges of Technology and Hopscotch.