Boeing has announced that the Boeing-Mubadala Co-Op internship programme is on course to provide vital aerospace engineering expertise to bolster the UAE’s ever-expanding aviation capabilities.   

The Co-Op programme, sponsored by Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), was launched by Boeing and Mubadala in 2015 to support the development of a sustainable aerospace industry in the UAE.

Six students have graduated from the programme to date and 10 Emirati students will join the programme in August 2017, said a statement.

On completion, this initiative will have equipped up to 40 students with critical skills and experience to boost the UAE’s domestic aerospace industry, it said.

The internship is an experiential learning opportunity that exposes a select group of undergraduate engineering students from the UAE to exciting career options in the world of aerospace engineering.

Throughout the 18-week programme, the students participate in professional development activities designed to build their network and broaden their exposure to Boeing and aerospace engineering.

The students are also introduced to fabrication, manufacturing engineering, liaison engineering, and industrial engineering modules.

The Co-Op program sends the engineering students to various Boeing locations in the US, including Seattle, Salt Lake City and Charleston, which is home to the company's second 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery facility. The graduates are then offered a position at one of Mubadala’s Aerospace and Engineering Services companies.

Dr Mohamed Yousif Baniyas, higher education executive director at ADEC, said that the joint cooperation with various national and international sectors would contribute to the development of national competency standards according to the best practices. The cooperation will also improve students’ academic and vocational performance and foster their skills to work in a global competitive environment.

He added that this joint internship programme, that is offered by The Boeing Company in collaboration with Mubadala, is considered one of the significant programmes that would contribute to the provision of qualified Emirati manpower capable to work in the aerospace sector, drive and sustain Abu Dhabi’s social and economic growth and achieve ADEC goals aiming to provide human capital necessary for meeting labour market requirements in Abu Dhabi.

Bernard Dunn, president of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said: “The programme is actively developing expertise that will directly benefit the UAE’s ambitions for a sustainable aerospace industry.”

“Our objective for the next three years is to provide as much experience to as many Emirati students as possible to support the UAE’s objectives,” he said.

Homaid Al Shimmari, chief executive officer, aerospace and engineering services, Mubadala, added: “It’s extremely rewarding to see the graduation of highly qualified Emiratis coming through the programme.”

“As we look ahead to a new year, it’s vital that we continue to work with strategic partners, like Boeing, who are deeply rooted in our national ambition to become a future aviation hub, to develop an evolving pipeline of domestic talent and skills. Training local youth is a priority to deliver on the UAE’s plan to accomplish our footing in the sector,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service