The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) recently held, in cooperation with LinkedIn network the Second Human Resources Club Forum for the year 2014, under the patronage of His Excellency Humaid Mohamed Al Qatami, Minister of Education and Chairman of FAHR. The Forum held under the title "Building Economic Opportunities", was attended by His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Director of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, and a number of leaders and staff of FAHR, in addition to about 150 HR Club members and human resources professionals from the public and private sectors.
The Forum, which was held in Dubai hosted Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn Middle East and North Africa (MENA); Eisa Al Mulla, CEO of UAE program for development of national cadres; Ahmed Al kaitob, Chairman of National Development at Jumeirah Group; Mariam Al-Kaabi, Director of Career Placement & Alumni Affairs at the UAE University; and Rajai Al Khadem, Director of Alliances in LinkedIn MENA.
During his presentation at the Forum, Ali Matar highlighted the role of LinkedIn in creating an interactive online platform across the World Wide Web, as the network brings together more than 40 million university students, companies and employers wishing to attract and recruit qualified and skilled human resources efficiency and skill, in addition to over 24 thousand universities, schools and training providers seeking employment for their graduates. He pointed out that the LinkedIn network has made a breakthrough in the field of professional social networking, thus replacing the traditional methods of recruitment and job search.
He stressed the importance of professional networking as it provides individuals, businesses and universities with a professional digital identity they can use in communicating with more than 300 million professionals on LinkedIn network from all over the world, pointing out that the network allows opportunity to all its members to catch up on the latest news related to economic, technological and informational fields that matter to them.
1,650,000 LinkedIn subscribers in the UAE
Speaking on the role of LinkedIn network in the UAE, the Head of LinkedIn MENA network said that the network attaches special importance to achieving the UAE Vision 2021 and the National Agenda for the next seven years, particularly with regard to increasing Emiratization rate in the private sector to ten-fold by 2021, through helping Emirati students to find jobs commensurate with their abilities and specialties, as well as making their professional profiles available for companies and employers wishing to employ national talent. He indicated that there are 1.00065 million LinkedIn users in the UAE out of 10 million users in the Middle East and North Africa.
Ali Matar explained that LinkedIn is seeking to better understand and map the dynamics of economic indicators in the coming 10 years, through compiling accurate professional data of jobseekers, employers and universities, noting that this data will give an updated economic indicator on disciplines required in various sectors, which would contribute to draw the attention of students towards specialties most needed in the global, regional and local markets.
The Forum featured a panel discussion entitled "Employment of Students to Empower the Next Generation Workforce," and moderated by Rajai Al Khadem. It was attended by Eisa Al Mulla, Ahmad Al kaitob, and Mariam Al-Kaabi, and discussed the mechanisms for UAE nationals’ employment in the private sector, how to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors and provide a stimulating environment for citizens working in the private sector.
The experience of UAE University in UAE Nationals Employment
Mariam Al-Kaabi, Director of Career Placement & Alumni Affairs at the UAE University briefed the Forum on the UAE University's role in preparing and qualifying students for the job market, through the Department of Planning and
Recruitment, which prepares students and help them in selecting their academic disciplines that fit the needs of the labor market, noting that the UAE University has built several partnerships with government and private institutions to train and qualify Emirati students, as well as provide employment opportunities that are commensurate with their abilities and potential.
She unveiled an electronic system that has been launched by the UAE University to enable students and graduates to access vacancies available at the University, pointing out that the University administration posts all vacant jobs via e-mail, and SMS messages addressed to all students.
Al-Kaabi added that the University organizes a regular recruitment open day to recruit for its students, and hosts every now and then a number of professionals working in the private sector to talk to students about the advantages of working in this sector, and encourage them to join it.
Building partnerships with the private sector to prepare and train citizens
Eisa Al Mulla, CEO of UAE program for development of national cadres delivered a speech on the program which aims to reduce the rate of unemployment among UAE nationals and increase their number in the private sector through the adoption of a set of mechanisms to promote cooperation with local universities in order to explore employment opportunities for nationals. Such mechanisms may include: Changing some of the academic curriculum to match education outcomes and labor market needs.
He explained that the program seeks to support the UAE National Agenda in relation to Emiratization in the private sector, through building strong partnerships and long-term relationships with private sector companies and institutions, in order to provide practical training for nationals holding secondary school certificates and below, for the purpose of preparing them for the labor market.
Talent attraction is easier than retention
The last speaker, Ahmed Al kaitob, Chairman of National Development at Jumeirah Group, shed light on the Group's role in recruitment and training of young Emiratis saying: "Jumeirah Group considers young people as one of major productive categories in the community, accordingly we are keen to attract Emirati talent, to be part of our middle administrative team of the Group, giving them the opportunity for fast progress in their career.
"The Group offers a one-year training program for young Emiratis, to receive training on areas which are relevant to the Group such as finance, information technology, human resource management, hospitality, marketing and sales, as well as public health and safety. At the end of the program these young people are placed in jobs that best suit their interest”.
On the role of Jumeirah Group in promoting human resources in the UAE and encouraging them to join the private sector, Al kaitob said that the Group has reduced the working hours for national workforce in some areas that require work for several hours, such as hospitality industry, pointing out that attracting qualified UAE candidates in the private sector is much easier than retaining them.