The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development recently held a series of training programmes across the UAE in collaboration with Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy, the educational arm of Dubai SME, the agency of the Department of Economic Development in Dubai mandated to develop the SME sector.

The training programmes focused on information and communications technology (ICT), hospitality, and other vital sectors that promote entrepreneurship and SMEs as the backbone of the UAE’s economy.

Mouza Al Nasri, executive director of Entrepreneurship Development at Khalifa Fund, said: “We will continue to implement various initiatives and events, including awareness campaigns and development programmes, for university and school students.”

“In all these efforts, our aim is to build a promising future where SMEs are highly empowered. The Khalifa Fund also provides all kinds of support to innovative ideas, creative projects, and technological advancements. Our training courses in cooperation with Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy reflect the importance of solidarity and cooperation among various entities for young generation,” Al Nasri said.

 “We should always endeavor to raise the level of their administrative and technical competence by enriching their knowledge and experiences and cultivating their entrepreneurial skills,” Al Nasri added.

Ibtihal Al Naji, manager of Dubai Entrepreneurship Academy, also stressed the importance of collaboration between the government and private sectors in promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship among young people.

Al Naji said: “The training programmes we had in partnership with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development were in line with the ongoing efforts to provide all support for entrepreneurship development in the country and establish the right environment for Emirati youth to pursue their projects, thus contributing to the growth of the local economy.”

“Such training programmes and workshops are important to providing innovative mechanisms, tools and programs that will enable the youth to turn their creative ideas into a reality,” Al Naji added.

As part of the training programmes, Khalifa Fund held a workshop titled ‘How to Start a Successful ICT Project’ in October at the Higher Colleges of Technology for Female Students in Ras Al Khaimah.

More than 50 students attended the event and took part in the discussions on the importance of ICT. The event was highly successful, with the trainees giving the workshop a 92 per cent satisfaction rating. Another workshop under the same title was also held at the University of Sharjah in Khorfakkan, where more than 70 students giving the event a satisfaction rating of more than 94 per cent.

The course, ‘The Hospitality Industry between Local and Global Reach’ was held at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, with the participation of more than 80 students. It focused on the role of investments in supporting innovative ideas and solutions as well as ways to help entrepreneurs better understand brand building in the hospitality sector to bring their ambition from local to the global stage.

The course also discussed government procedures, continuity and sustainability of projects, commercial franchises in the hospitality industry, and food trucks, among others. The attendees gave the course a satisfaction rating of over 96 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Khalifa Fund is currently holding a specialised training programme titled ‘Professional Certificate in Hospitality and Catering Management,’ which kicked off on November 5 and will run until December 16, with an expected number of 30 entrepreneurs attending the learning session. This specialized and intensive program was designed in collaboration with the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management for entrepreneurs interested in opening their own food and beverages stores.

The programme is teaching the basics of being involved in the food industry, design elements, best management practices, feasibility study, financial management, food cost, and business requirements.

The programme aims to develop a professional work plan based on creative ideas and achieve them in a financially viable manner. It also consists of 17 lectures and a series of practical sessions, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service