Nakheel, a Dubai World company, has launched a company-wide UAE graduate development programme aimed at attracting high calibre Emirati students.

The new programme has been started to help UAE nationals gain the very best professional skills to develop into the next generation of business leaders in Dubai, with 20 new graduates, selected through a highly competitive process, starting a two-year programme at Nakheel this week.

The graduates will undergo extensive on-the-job and formal training over the course of the programme and will be offered a management position within Nakheel upon successful completion. The graduate development programme is structured into three phases with participants taking a qualifying examination at the end of each period.

Ahmad Al Banna, Nakheel director of HR, said: “It is so important for us at Nakheel to support and nurture the next generation of Emirati business leaders. We are looking for the cream of the crop; those who will grow into tomorrow’s managers at Nakheel. We are delighted to welcome the first graduates to the scheme today.”

This year’s programme attracted more than 500 applications from a range of educational institutions. A shortlist of 76 candidates was chosen for full assessment before the final choice of 20 was made. The successful candidates will be placed in a range of business units for the duration of the scheme including Nakheel Retail, Nakheel Hotels, Nakheel’s Design Group, Nakheel Asset Management, Nakheel Investment Projects, and Waterfront.

Sawsan Hamo, employer relations coordinator at Sharjah College, said: “The clarity and definitive goals set by Nakheel’s national development programme are the best that I have seen so far. Our students have enjoyed the recruitment process and I have had so many positive comments from our students, many of whom believe Nakheel offers the best opportunity for graduates.”

The graduate development programme is open to any UAE national who has completed a minimum of a higher diploma or Bachelors degree from a UAE institution or an overseas institution recognised by the UAE Government. The recruitment drive has been supported by Nakheel’s participation in UAE educational institutions’ career fairs and information days and through informal meetings with students and their faculty. -TradeArabia News Service