UAE approves Dh6.4bn budget to boost Emiratisation this year

The UAE has approved a Dh6.4 billion budget to further boost Emiratisation in the private sector.

A new target has also been set for the country's Nafis programme, which launched in 2021, to ensure 36,000 citizens join the private sector workforce in 2024, the state news agency Wam reported on Monday.

The budget was approved during the Board of Directors of the Emirati Competitiveness Programme meeting on Monday, which was chaired by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Office.

He was joined by Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Community Protection; Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development; Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation; Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology; and a number of other Nafis board members.

An all-time high of 92,000 Emiratis now work in the private sector, new figures published in January showed.

It marks a 157 per cent increase since the Nafis programme was launched in September 2021.

A total of Dh4.2 billion was paid to individuals signed up to the Nafis programme as of December last year.

During the meeting, Sheikh Mansour praised the council's efforts in achieving Emiratisation targets, as well as encouraging citizens to join the private sector.

He stressed that the council seeks to continue boosting the Nafis scheme by qualifying, training and employing citizens in the sector.

There have been a number of programmes across all sectors that have been launched to boost Emiratisation in the private sector.

Last month, UAE schools announced that they are aiming to recruit more graduates in teaching positions in order to meeting rising Emiratisation targets.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, also announced a scholarship fund for Emirati students worth Dh1.1 billion last month to increase the number of Emiratis employed in the private sector, as part of the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

Last year, thousands of Emirati school pupils and university students joined a nationwide job training scheme aimed at encouraging young citizens to work in the private sector.

The one-year pilot programme, which was launched in September, aims to prepare pupils in years 9, 10 and 11 and those in the final year of higher education for future careers.

The Ministry of Human Resources, which is overseeing the drive in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Education and Human Resources Council, said 3,500 young people will take part in the first phase of the Professional and Practical Training Programme.

The initial one-year trial is to be expanded over the next five years to include all learners in the eligible age groups.