Work carried out at the UAE’s nuclear power plants is impressive in both quality and safety, according to an international nuclear energy expert.
Commissioner Kristine Svinicki, of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was speaking on a visit to the Barakah site on Wednesday.
She was taken on a tour of the site where the country’s first nuclear power plants are being built in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec).
“The UAE indeed has an inspiring story to tell about their nuclear energy project,” she said. “It truly makes it a model for other nations to follow.”
Mohammed Al Hammadi, Enec’s chief executive, showed off different project sites, including the cement batch plant, the marine work site, units 1 and 2 and the engineering office.
“She was very complimentary of the progress,” said Fahad Al Qahtani, Enec’s external communications director. “The UAE is keen on being transparent and we always look forward to receiving nuclear experts from around the world.”
He said the commission was one of the most expert organisations in nuclear technology and the nuclear energy industry.
“It was an honour and an opportunity to get her comments, feedback and questions and hopefully learn from her visit as well as showcase the project’s progress, of which we are very proud,” said Mr Al Qahtani.
Ms Svinicki spoke at the international nuclear energy conference in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
“As was stated just last month by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs here in the UAE, ‘The UAE has adopted strong, transparent measures into the design of its nuclear programme’ because the credibility of any nuclear energy programme is linked directly to the level of domestic and international confidence in the safety, security and peaceful nature of the programme,” she said. “Such credibility, he said, is the key for long-term success and sustainability.”
Ms Svinicki said the UAE managed to overcome challenges by seeking out experience and knowledge from nations with a long history of civil nuclear experience.
Enec recently achieved another construction milestone for Barakah Unit 1. Construction of Barakah Unit 2 is under way and will take five years to build, with a scheduled entry for commercial operation in 2018.
Enec plans to apply for an operating licence for units 1 and 2 in 2015 and, with four plants operational by 2020, nuclear energy is expected to deliver up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity needs, saving up to 12 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
cmalek@thenational.ae
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- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
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Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
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