ABU DHABI // Cyber security, electrical installation, landscaping and nursing were among more than 50 skills displayed by about 400 Emirati students in the EmiratesSkill National Competition this week.
The annual event, organised by the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, aims to encourage young citizens to pursue an education and careers in craft and technical fields.
Ali Al Marzouqi, president of EmiratesSkills, said the event was crucial to raise awareness of the importance of skills among the Emirati community.
“We urge citizens to diversify the careers they pursue and not only consider the banking sector and office jobs,” said Mr Al Marzouqi on Tuesday, the first of the two-day competition.
“We need engineers, technicians and programmers because these are the jobs that are coming.”
Mr Al Marzouqi said Emiratis needed to know that pursuing vocational careers was nothing to be ashamed of.
“If you are asking what will happen post-oil, you see it right here – citizens working as electricians, welders, cooks and nurses.”
He said it was important that young nationals understood many of the featured careers came with good pay, and that there are many ways to gain experience, such as vocational high schools, colleges and institutes that offer certificates, diplomas and bachelor’s degrees.
In her final year of a nursing degree at the Fatima College of Health Sciences, Reem Al Menhali, 21, said she was at the event to promote a well-paying career that critically needs more Emiratis.
“I not only enjoy the field, but as there is a shortage of nurses I feel I’m serving my country – it makes me very proud,” she said while standing over a mannequin simulating a car-crash victim.
Ms Al Menhali said many Emiratis were surprised to find out that she was a nurse.
“‘Are you sure you’re Emirati?’ they ask. People need to know that we are needed in hospitals. Emirati patients are requesting me by name because they are more comfortable with me sharing their culture,” she said.
Competing in the Landscape Gardening competition, Mohammed Al Khateri said he was enjoying the challenge.
“Not only am I benefiting physically but you also have to use your creativity to create a garden that looks nice,” said Mr Al Khateri, 18, who is enrolled in one of Abu Dhabi’s secondary technical schools.
“As Emiratis we should never be ashamed of any work.”
The event also was focused on instilling valuable life skills. Competing in the Electrical Installation for Juniors challenge, one of six competitions for those between 12 and 15, Aisha Al Hashmi said she was learning a useful skill.
“If electrical work needs to be done at home or there is a problem, at least I will know how to fix it or what the problem is,” said Aisha, a Grade 9 pupil at the Applied Technology High School.
The national competition features 51 challenges, up from 28 last year, with competitors having to complete a timed project in a certain field.
Winners this week will be awarded up to Dh20,000 for placing first, Dh15,000 for second and Dh10,000 for third.
They will also get the chance to represent the UAE at this year’s WorldSkills, dubbed the Olympics of vocational education. It is held every two years and will be hosted by Abu Dhabi in October.
Also at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the international competition is set to include 77 countries and attract 10,000 participants.
tsubaihi@thenational.ae
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
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yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
