AccorHotels, a leading travel and lifestyle group, in partnership with the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), hosted an Open Day for Medyaf, an Emiratization programme geared towards the hospitality and tourism industries. 

The event, organised by the Medyaf team on February 13, attracted a variety of candidates from students, fresh graduates to experienced professionals from Dubai that were excited to meet with senior leaders from AccorHotels and discuss employment opportunities within the tourism industry.

The Talent & Culture teams of AccorHotels Middle East met and interviewed talented Emirati nationals for prominent positions during the Open Day, across all areas of the group’s operations - from guest relations, administration, food and beverage and housekeeping to sales & marketing and talent & culture (human resources). Eight hotels across AccorHotels’ award-winning network participated in Medyaf, including Pullman Dubai Jumeirah Lake Towers, Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre, Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa, Sofitel Dubai Downtown, Fairmont Dubai, Fairmont The Palm, Raffles Dubai and Swissôtel Al Ghurair Dubai.

Commenting on the initiative, Olivier Granet, chief executive officer at AccorHotels Middle East & Africa, said: “The importance of the ‘Medyaf’ Emiratisation program in developing young Emiratis is fully supported by AccorHotels in Dubai and highlights our core values as a group in recruiting and nurturing talent in the communities that we operate in to develop the leaders of tomorrow.”

“Though our partnership with Dubai College of Tourism, our ambition is to inspire young people to discover careers within the travel and hospitality industry, and to realize the full potential of what a global company such as AccorHotels can offer. Our portfolio across the Middle East and Africa alone represents more than 200 hotels with the aim to open 100 more hotels within the next four years, thereby placing great importance in our talent strategy to grow, develop and identify a robust talent pipeline to join our 35,000 talented colleagues in the region.”

Mariam Al Maeeni, director, Industry Nationalization, Dubai College of Tourism, said: “One of the objectives of Dubai Tourism is to meet the ambitious Emiratisation goals laid out under the Dubai’s Tourism Vision for 2020. Through industry nationalisation programmes such as Medyaf, Dubai College of Tourism aims to create world-class UAE national tourism and hospitality professionals by enabling Emiratis to understand the variety of careers available and their role in further developing these industries. We share a common goal with AccorHotels to recognise the importance of recruiting and developing local talent to showcase UAE’s hospitality and culture, and we are delighted to have partnered with them for this important initiative.”

AccorHotels was the first hospitality company to establish a corporate training academy in the Middle East with Tamheed – AccorHotels Acedemie Middle East, as part of the Group’s commitment towards empowering regional talent.  Through this, AccorHotels has supported the career development of close to 20,000 colleagues since its start in 2008.  Within the next five years, the group will aim to hire 35,000 colleagues across the Middle East and Africa. - TradeArabia News Service