Etisalat receives recognition from GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs for nationalization program

Etisalat has worked very proactively with nationalization over the years and has become one of the most recognized for this in the UAE. The process, which starts with recruitments from the Universities and Colleges, also includes a comprehensive two year training program and continuous development within the corporation. In addition, international experience is acquired through training programs abroad.

"This is a great recognition for the work of not only our Human Resource Department within Etisalat but for all of the corporation. We are now seen to be one of the best employers and we are very close to our nationalization target of 50% of total employees overall, with 42% national employees to date" says Abdulaziz Al Sawaleh, Executive Vice President of Human Resources, Etisalat. At a senior level the percentage is even higher - 73%, with university levels and above, bringing greater value to the corporation.

In their commitment towards nationalization, Etisalat has invested in infrastructure as well, namely in the Etisalat College of Engineering and the Etisalat Academy. The Etisalat College of Engineering offers free education for all nationals within the engineering fields. The Academy, which runs the majority of Etisalat training courses, has state of the art facilities for training within the telecommunication field as well as internationally certified trainers. The Academy also runs the 12 months Telecom Diploma Course for secondary school graduates which is recognized and praised by the international authentication institute, 'City & Guilds of UK".

National staff today work within all areas of Etisalat- from field staff and counter staff at the business centers to top management.

Abdulaziz Al Sawaleh said: 'We believe in the continuous development of people and competencies, giving us greater competitive advantage in our markets as well as bringing great satisfaction to the employees themselves. We are able to offer work that is never static, with new opportunities on offer for all to build a successful career. This, we believe, is one of the key reasons for us being an employer of choice. It is also one of the major ways we contribute to the nation in continuous development and building of national competence."