UAE graduates are given employability boost with future skills program by HSBC and Education For Employment

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Over 60 young Emiratis have successfully graduated from a national future skills program designed by Education For Employment (EFE) and HSBC, in partnership with Ras Al Khaimah HR Department and Zayed University.

The Design Your Future Career program was created to equip the graduates with skills to help prepare them for the job market.

Dima Najim, Managing Director of EFE in the UAE, remarked that: "Through this partnership with HSBC, Ras Al Khaimah Human Resources Department, and Zayed University, EFE was able to utilize its global expertise in work readiness training to provide the young participants with valuable skills in communication, customer service, design thinking, presentation, personal branding, as well as individual growth, and understanding the business environment."

The program supports youths to develop and practice entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills and teaches them how to create opportunities and engage with external stakeholders. It culminated with the participants presenting a final pitch project to a panel of business experts, enabling them to utilize the skills they had learned through the course.

Sabrin Rahman, Regional Head of Sustainability for HSBC in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey, said: “Providing support to youth learning and the training of future skills is an important part of HSBC’s sustainability strategy, and is an area that we look to have a real impact on in the region. We believe in the power of today’s youth to help build a stronger tomorrow for themselves and their communities, and their employability and entrepreneurialism is vital. Our partnership with Education For Employment is a fruitful and effective initiative in supporting graduates to achieve this.”

“We are pleased that our partnership with the Education for Employment (EFE) and HSBC bank has entered its second continuous batch. Together we have supported over 40 Zayed University fresh graduates and provided them the assistance and training they needed to enter the UAE labor market with the required set of skills, determination, and confidence. Such partnerships boost the employability rates of our Alumni and create more direct opportunities,” said Rashed Al Shamsi, Acting Director of Student Careers and Alumni Department, at Zayed University.

Aamna Al Shehhi, Department Manager of Emiratization and Talents, RAK Human Resources Department, said: "In fulfilment of Ras Al Khaimah 2030 vision and the strategy of the Human Resources Department in promoting Emiratization and qualifying job seekers to be able to recruit Emirati talent who have skills that meet the demands of the job market as well as skills in line with the requirements of the future job market, we are delighted to be partners with EFE and HSBC.”

For Aisha Al Bafta, graduating from the program was a major personal and professional milestone. She said, "Completing this program helped me to enhance my interpersonal skills, such as problem-solving, teamwork, and presentation skills. The program helped me gain my current job, as the interviewer was impressed with the design thinking process I presented from the training. My advice to other graduates who may be apprehensive about the current job market, is to join the program and start developing your skillset."

Al Bafta has joined Al Futtaim after completing the program.

Graduates have the opportunity to join an Entrepreneurship Training program that focuses on marketing, financial, and operational skills that are vital for starting a small business.

-Ends- 

About Education For Employment (EFE):

Education For Employment (EFE) is the leading youth employment organization in the Middle East and North Africa that transforms the future with youth through the dignity of work. Since 2006, locally-run EFE Affiliates in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, and support hubs in the USA, Europe, and the UAE, have partnered to link over 100,000 youth to the world of work while supporting more than 3,200 businesses to obtain the entry-level talent they need to grow Over 55% of EFE's graduates are young women, reflecting EFE's special focus on supporting women's entry into the workforce.

To learn more, please visit www.efe.org 

About HSBC in the MENAT region:

HSBC is the largest and most widely represented international banking organization in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT), with a presence in nine countries across the region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. In Saudi Arabia, HSBC is a 29.2% shareholder of the Saudi British Bank (SABB) and a 51% shareholder of HSBC Saudi Arabia for investment banking in the Kingdom. This presence, the widest reach of any international bank in the region, comprises some 350 offices and around 9,500 employees. In the year ending 31st December 2019, HSBC in the MENAT region made an adjusted profit before tax of US$ 1,611m. 

Zayed University:

Zayed University is a national and regional leader in educational innovation. Founded in 1998 and proudly bearing the name of the Founder of the Nation – the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, this flagship institution has met the President's high expectations. Today, Zayed University has two modern campuses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that welcome both national and international students. Zayed University Globally recognized as the leading university in the region for excellence in educational innovation, research, and student leadership development that serves the changing needs of the nation in economic, social, and cultural advancements. The University offers diverse and internationally recognized undergraduate and graduate programs that provide engaging and inclusive student experiences. Our graduates are prepared to contribute to and promote the social and economic well-being of UAE society and the professions. The university Prepare qualified graduates in an innovative and supportive educational environment who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership skills.

RAK HR Department:

The Human Resources Department is one of the supporting departments of the governmental machinery of the RAK Government. It supervises the human resources at the Government through applying the Human Resources Law along with its rules and regulations. The Human Resources Department was established in 1971 by the Amiri Decree number (3) issued by a decision from the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. The Department then was named "Public Personnel Affairs Department", then it was changed to "Civil Service Department" by a decision from the Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah in 2008, and later in 2013, the Department's name was changed to "Human Resources Department" as per the Human Resources Law issued by the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, visit http://www.hr.rak.ae  and follow @HR_RAK

For further information on the press activities, please contact:
Anthon
Email: anthon@designunlimitedpartners.com 

© Press Release 2020