The students of the National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE) start their second year today

The first day's events included an orientation which the students had registered for at the end of their foundation year. It also included a presentation about this year's new policies and regulations.

Students at NIVE will receive a Diploma Certificate at the end of the two-year program. The five majors offered are: Human Resources, IT, Accounting and Finance, Sales and Marketing, and Public Relations. During their foundation year, students are taught general requirement courses. They also undergo placement tests to evaluate their skills and competencies. They are then assigned majors according to their results on the placement tests. Students enroll in their majors during the second year, which prepares them to join the job market.

Dr. Naji Al Mahdi, CEO of NIVE, said: "As we start our second year we continue our journey towards placing vocational education in its rightful place in the world of Human Resources. We expect our students to invest the time and effort necessary to excel in their studies. The results will be a better match between their skills and their designated jobs at the sponsoring Governmental agencies or private companies in Dubai. We have tailored our curricula to the requirements of these companies. This establishes a direct relationship between vocational education and the needs of the labor marketplace."

Some students at NIVE are sponsored by these companies and some students are assigned jobs as soon as they graduate from NIVE. However, each student receives a two-year training program prior to joining the job market. RTA and DEWA are each sponsoring around 30 students.

Amna Hamdan, an HR student who had an internship at DEWA, said: "Last year I was unfamiliar with and a bit nervous about vocational education. However, I now understand this type of education and really appreciate its fast-paced and practical aspects. Before I had never been exposed to this style of learning but I'm now very excited about the upcoming year."

Another HR student who interned at RTA, Mariam Abdulla Seraj, said: "This year, we'll be learning more about our majors and I am especially excited about my internship at the RTA."

Rashid Mal Allah Mohammad Al Ali, an accounting and finance student who interned at Dubai municipality, said: "NIVE is a great blend of studying and working. I did really well last year since I like this approach so much. I hope my performance will be even better this year after the internship I had at Dubai Municipality."

The new foundation year students will start next week after completing their registration process. NIVE starts its second year with more than 250 students enrolled.