ABU DHABI // An increasingly competitive market climate and higher living costs are pushing more Emiratis to enrol in vocational training.
Adveti, a government-backed vocational institute, is developing plans to increase the number of teachers and classes offered at its Abu Dhabi campus for the next academic year, to cope with the growing demand.
Nizar Luqman, its executive director, said vocational training empowered Emiratis and gave them practical skills.
"We are gearing towards a more hands-on approach, and so we are focusing a lot on practical courses. We find that students are more interested in such learning," he said.
Adveti (Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute) provides a wide range of diploma programmes, in areas such as information technology, travel and tourism management, paralegal studies and environmental studies.
While access to higher education for Emiratis is free at government institutions such as Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology, Mr Luqman said the schools were not competing with each other.
"Not everyone is going to go to university or college. Our role is to complement Zayed University and Higher Colleges in Emiratisation and developing the right set of skills for Emiratis to join the workforce."
Almost 1,000 Emirati students attend Adveti, which was established in 2007 by the Abu Dhabi Education Council. There are almost 400 male students at the institute. Women make up 58 per cent of the roll.
The institute is run by New South Wales Technical and Further Education, part of New South Wales Department of Education and Training in Australia, the country's largest training provider.
The institute caters exclusively for Emiratis. Tuition is sponsored by the Government.
After more than 13 years since he chose to forego a degree in higher education, one student, Yaser al Hamiri, 37, decided to give it another try. In February of last year, he enrolled to gain a Diploma in Tourism Management.
Despite working with Abu Dhabi Municipality for more than two years, Mr al Hamiri envisaged bigger things for himself, but realised he needed to prove his qualifications on paper first.
"To find a good job with a good package, a high school degree is not enough any more," he said.
"Life is very expensive now and the market is competitive."
A large number of students are from rural areas of the emirate, and a majority of those enrolled attended public high schools.
Such is the case with Sheikha al Kitbi, 22, who lives in Al Falah area. Despite her one-hour journey to school, she is determined to make the most of her experience.
She attends morning and evening sessions at the institute, the first from 9am to 2pm, the second from 4.30pm to 8pm, and by June of next year she hopes to receive a dual diploma in travel and tourism, and information technology.
"I have a chance to do both, so I said, 'why not?'" Ms al Kitbi said.
talramahi@thenational.ae
What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
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Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The five pillars of Islam
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
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
