Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today signed an agreement with the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (NAFIS) to share the company’s best practice in Emiratisation with the private sector. 

 

EGA has one of the highest Emiratisation rates of any major company, when accounting for the high number of blue collar roles in heavy industry. Under the agreement, NAFIS and EGA will cooperate so private sector companies can benefit from EGA’s more than four decades of experience in Emiratisation, said a statement. 

 

The agreement was signed at EGA’s Al Taweelah site in the presence of Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, by Ghannam Butti Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of NAFIS, and Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA. 

 

During the visit, Dr Al Awar greeted several hundred newly-recruited Emiratis at EGA. 

 

The recruits are amongst the more than 220 UAE Nationals EGA hired last year, including 100 women. The average age of EGA’s 2022 Emirati intake was 23 years. While EGA recruits mid-career experts, the company focuses on attracting and developing young people who are starting their careers as talent for the future.

 

NAFIS is a Federal Government initiative that aims to raise the competitiveness of Emirati citizens and provide them with job opportunities in the private sector, including through recruitment, training, and salary and benefits support. NAFIS is projected to allocate around 24 billion dirhams to provide benefits to 170,000 Emirati citizens within five years of its initiation.

 

EGA finished 2022 with an in-focus Emiratisation rate of 42 per cent. 

 

Dr Al Awar said: “Meeting the talented young Emiratis starting their careers at EGA was a true pleasure.

EGA has always been at the forefront of Emiratisation over the past decades, with local talent the foundation of this UAE industrial company’s global competitiveness. All private sector companies can benefit from EGA's expertise as we work to drive Emiratisation in our national economy."

 

Al Mazrouei said: "We are honoured to partner with EGA as a key member of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, NAFIS, in alignment with the government's efforts to establish strong partnerships and create a supportive environment for Emiratis to excel in the private sector. Our partnership demonstrates our commitment to promoting collaboration for the benefit of private sector employees through the NAFIS programme and its empowering initiatives. We commend EGA for its unwavering dedication and comprehensive programme to cultivate productive Emirati human capital in the private industrial sector." 

 

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “Recruiting and developing UAE nationals has been a priority at EGA since we began production in the late 1970s. Emiratisation at EGA ensures we have the talent we need to succeed, as well as creating opportunities for local men and women in line with national priorities. We look forward to working closely with NAFIS to support its work to accelerate Emiratisation across the UAE’s private sector. I was honoured to introduce His Excellency to some of our new recruits.”

 

Iman Al Qasim, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “The agreement with NAFIS will enable us to share our knowledge and experience on recruiting and developing UAE Nationals to succeed in the private sector. Partnership with NAFIS will also support our own further Emiratisation through the recruitment and development of UAE Nationals.  As our own goal is to continuously improve our Emiratisation performance at EGA for the future success of the company as well as the nation.”.”

 

EGA’s National Training programmes develop young UAE Nationals for operational roles in EGA’s industrial facilities and in administration. More than 5,000 UAE Nationals have graduated from the programmes since they were first established in 1982, with many pursuing long and successful careers at EGA and some reaching the highest levels in the company. 

 

Almost 1,200 UAE Nationals now work at EGA. Over 700 of EGA’s Emirati employees are under the age of 35.  - TradeArabia News Service