The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) revealed that 450 training courses were held within the Federal Government’s preferred training partners initiative " Ma’arif’ since its launch in October last year until the end of June.
Mrs Amna Al Suwaidi, Director Of Human Resources Planning at FAHR confirmed the 450 courses were the outcome of "Ma’arif’" initiative, which brings the best training providers UAE–wide under one umbrella to provide the Federal Government employees with quality training and development programs.
She added that more than 5,000 employees working in the Federal Government institutions attended these courses, over a period of nine months, since the launch of "Ma’arif’" initiative, which has so far engaged 70 accredited training providers carefully selected by the Federal Government based on specific criteria. Al Suwaidi said: “The initiative has saved nearly 3 million dirhams from the budgets of the ministries and federal entities previously allocated for training and development of employees”
“FAHR is moving forward in engaging more preferred training providers, and holding more courses to meet the training needs of ministries and government entities, and cover vital development areas that improve employee performance and productivity, and positively reflect on the level of services provided by these entities to customers”.
"Ma’arif’" initiative’s training courses, according Amna Al Suwaidi, take into consideration the key training needs of the ministries and federal authorities, which are most evident in areas related to human resources, leadership and management, public administration, strategy and quality, finance and accounting, excellence in customer service, organizational excellence, and other specialized programs.
“Ma’arif” Initiative for the Federal Government’s preferred training partners aims to create a partnership based on social responsibility and mutual interest between the public and private sectors. The initiative has been launched to ensure quality training for nearly 84,000 employees working in 56 ministries and federal entities, build learning potential and a culture of knowledge and motivation, encourage the transformation of federal entities from a traditional economy to the new global economy (knowledge economy), as well as stimulate innovation, enhance efficiency and productivity and create an attractive work environment in the Federal Government. Moreover it makes easier for the federal entities to select available training programs electronically in preset timeframes.
The idea of the initiative is based on compiling a list the best training providers in the UAE, as per specific criteria, in order to make it available to the ministries and federal entities, as well as identify the training needs of ministries in line with their annual plans. Other key objectives of the initiative include negotiating with training institutions to offer programs and courses at reduced prices, or free of charge, signing memoranda of understanding with universities and colleges to provide scientific programs at special rates, and specialized training for the Federal Government employees, as required.
It should be noted that FAHR had launched earlier a special interactive electronic system for “Ma’arif” Initiative to serve the ministries and federal bodies as well as training providers, including centres, institutes and universities, to offer their training programs through (www.maaref.ae).