United Arab Emirates: The Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai and Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, have announced a collaborative agreement. This partnership marks a significant commitment to fostering the integration of UAE Nationals into the workforce and contributing to the nation's strategic sectors.

Through this agreement, the Emirati Human Resources Development Council will provide EGA with qualified UAE National candidates for its training programmes and vacant positions, aiming to advance the development of Emirati talent within the industrial sector.

This initiative will support EGA's further progress in Emiratisation. EGA already has one of the highest Emiratisation rates of any major company, when accounting for the high number of blue-collar roles in heavy industry.

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Deputy Chairman of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council in Dubai and the Director-General of the Human Resources Department in Dubai, and Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA.

His Excellency Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Emirati Human Resources Development Council, elaborated on the significance of the partnership, stating: "Our collaboration with Emirates Global Aluminium is a testament to our unwavering commitment to Emiratisation and the strategic development of our national workforce. By aligning our resources, we not only aim to fill immediate positions but also to nurture a generation of Emirati professionals equipped to lead the industrial sector's journey towards innovation and global competitiveness.”

“The council is proud to contribute to the UAE's economic growth by enabling Emiratis to become a strategic pillar of its journey, delivering on the vision of our wise leadership. This partnership embodies a critical component of our mission to empower UAE Nationals to excel in crucial economic sectors, ultimately securing our nation's long-term prosperity." Al Mansoori added.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Emiratisation has been a key priority at EGA for decades, with attracting the best local talent as the foundation of our global competitiveness. We are determined to increase our Emiratisation even further and look forward to working closely with the Human Resources Development Council to make this ambition a reality.”

EGA’s in-focus Emiratisation rate was 42.6 per cent at the end of 2023. EGA aims to accelerate in-focus Emiratisation, targeting that the number of UAE Nationals rises as a proportion of the in-focus workforce by two per cent every year to reach 48 per cent by 2026. To achieve this goal, EGA expects to hire up to 500 UAE Nationals over the next three years, including replacements for staff turnover and company growth.

Under the agreement, the Human Resources Development Council and EGA will work together on raising awareness amongst school and university students about potential careers in industry, recruitment, and early career training.

Some 1,200 UAE Nationals currently work at EGA. Over 700 of EGA’s UAE National employees are under 35 years old. Last year, EGA recruited around 120 Emiratis, including 37 women.

The Dubai Human Resources Development Council was established by a decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him. It includes representatives from the government and private sector and aims to create a reference entity representing the entities concerned with developing Emirati human resources in the private sector. The council aims to ensure the availability of an attractive and stimulating environment to attract Emiratis and to ensure the alignment of the outputs of education for Emirati students with the requirements of the job market in the emirate, according to strategic priority sectors.

EGA already cooperates with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Department of Government Enablement and Dubai Government Human Resources Department in the recruitment of young UAE Nationals for some of the company’s National Training programmes.

Simon Buerk
sbuerk@ega.ae