HSBC supports 100 nationals to enter world of finance

The agreement was signed in the presence of Abdulfattah Sharaf, CEO of Personal Financial Services, HSBC Bank Middle East, and Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Ammar Shams, the HR manager for HSBC Middle East, and Dr Naji Al Mahdi, Executive Director of NIVE, signed the agreement at NIVE premises in Dubai Academic City.

HSBC Middle East won a special award for its efforts in nationalising the banking industry during February, presented by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.

The programme combines academic work with work placement periods in branches of HSBC throughout the UAE. The six-week work placement will take place at the end of the first year, during next summer. In the second year of the diploma, work placement days will take place throughout the year. Edexcel, the international provider of qualifications, will provide students with certified degrees when they graduate.

Abdulfattah Sharaf of HSBC said:

"Our sponsorship of NIVE's financial services diploma is further evidence of the bank's commitment to nurture the skills of young UAE Nationals seeking challenging jobs in the financial services industry. As "The world's local bank", we truly believe HSBC is the best place to work. With a workforce of 330,000 globally and a superb track record of growth in the UAE and the region, career opportunities and development for UAE nationals are world-class."

Ammar Shams of HSBC said:

"HSBC is committed to developing UAE's national talent for they are the future leaders of the banking and finance industry. Emiratisation has been one of our strategic objectives and continues to be at the top our agenda. HSBC strives to be the best place to work, and is committed not only to recruit the best UAE nationals but also to train, develop, and provide them with a challenging career plan."

Dr Naji Al Mahdi said, "Our agreement today is in line with the vision of KHDA, which established NIVE, in preparing the required qualifications in the finance and banking industry to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015, as banking and finance are important pillars of it.

"We invite our sons and daughters who are interested in an opportunity to receive a high level vocational education that caters to the requirements of the job market, and guarantees to prepare them to join it directly after graduation, to join our programme which offers its enrollers certified international degrees, and prepares them to continue with their higher education in international universities."

He added, "The national diploma for banking and finance was established based on the needs of this sector, in co-operation with HSBC and Edexcel, so that the programme would combine theory with international standards. We invite all banks, private and public establishments, to work with us towards achieving the sustainable human development required for the growth of Dubai."

HSBC has given Dhs8m towards this initiative, part of which will pay a stipend to each student while they are studying, and part of which will pay their tuition fees in full.