33 UAE Nationals join Dubai hotels under DTCM-Tanmia Maharat training programme

After successfully completing the job-linked MAHARAT training programme started by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in association with the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority (TANMIA) to encourage Emirati job-seekers join the booming tourism industry.

The nine-week training programme has been supported by ACCOR, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Jebel Ali International Hotels, Jumeirah, Rotana Hotels, Suites and Resorts, and Shangri-La Hotel Dubai.
The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management (EAHM) project managed and conducted the training for the Hospitality MAHARAT.

The UAE nationals who completed the training programme were presented the certificates at the graduation ceremony held in Dubai on Wednesday (December 14th 2005).

The training-led conditional employment outcome-based programme seeks to prepare and train UAE national job-seekers intending to work in the hospitality industry.

The programme contents included English language programme; hotel business communication, hotel interpersonal and team skills workshops,; introduction to the hospitality industry; core hospitality industry workplace skills, introduction to hotel departments, job categories, job competencies and career ladders, three hotel work placements and hotel industry familiarization field trips among other modules.

The DTCM Director General, Mr. Khalid A bin Sulayem, who presented the certificates to graduates, said:

"The DTCM's Emiratisation Task Force for Tourism (ETFT) is keen to provide UAE nationals training-linked employment opportunities in the world's best hotel chains. The first batch of the graduates will encourage others to join the emirate's fast-growing hospitality industry. We see bright prospects for the UAE nationals in the tourism industry. We are complementing the government efforts towards the Emiratisation programme."

The DTCM Manager Human Resources and Chairman of ETFT, Mr. Ibrahim Yaqoot, commented: "We take pride that we are working towards offering new career opportunities for the UAE nationals. The ETFT, created three years ago, will help UAE nationals through the programme obtain employment opportunities. The pilot programme has taken off very well and we are hopeful about encouraging response for the next year's programmes."

Mr. Ayesh Al Barguthi, Director, Employment and Skills Development Centre, TANMIA, said: "We are extremely pleased with the success of the Hospitality Industry Maharat Programme. The objective is to prepare a skilled cadre of National youth to take up demanding jobs in Dubai's flourishing hospitality industry. Tourism today accounts for over 18 per cent of Dubai's GDP. The government has set an ambitious target of attracting 15 million visitors a year to Dubai by 2010."

Mr. Essa Al Mulla, Programme Development Manager, Emirates Nationals Development Programme [ENDP), said: "The ENDP wants to actively encourage and support UAE nationals wanting to work in the hospitality industry. We also wish to support all departments and the private sector companies in their endeavors to achieve Emiratisation within the hospitality industry."

Mr. Ron Hilvert, Principal, EAHM, said: "The career opportunities in Dubai for UAE nationals within the hospitality industry are immense since Dubai is on a par with any of the major tourism destination cities in the world. This year, the Academy enrolled nine UAE nationals on its degree programmes."

Mr.Gerald Lawless, CEO, Jumeirah Hospitality and Leisure, said: "I am personally committed to the Emiratisation inititives developed by the DTCM and TANMIA. I congratulate them both and recognize their efforts in successfully completing this pilot programme."

Mr. Peter Mitchell, Group Director of Organisational Development, Jumeirah, said: "It is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm and drive that the new MAHARAT students bring to the programme and then into the workplace. This programme is the future for Emiratization."

Mr. Ghanim Al Marri, Emiratisation Manager, Jebel Ali International Hotels, said: "The MAHARAT graduates are pioneers and over the coming years the Emiratisation of the hotel industry will gain pace especially now that the Emirates Nationals Development Programme [ENDP) has been launched"

Mr. John Mullen, Human Resources Manager, Al Bustan Rotana, Hotel, said: "Rotana is proud to be part of such a focus-driven industry group in the promotion and development of UAE Nationals in the Hospitality Industry. Rotana is committed to providing career-driven opportunities thus setting in place targets to attract more and more Emiratis to the industry and our company."

Dr. Denis Sorin, Corporate Director for ACCOR Middle East, said: "The programme was a milestone in the successful building of the hospitality industry Emiratisation process. ACCOR Middle East strongly supports this process as we believe that our industry can only succeed in the long run if we have entrepreneurial Emiratis joining our hotels. We want as many UAE nationals as possible to join our banner and grow with us."

Mr. Yves P. Givel, Regional Director of Human Resources, Hyatt International Hotels & Resorts, said: "Emiratization has been one of Hyatt's key Human Resources strategies. Most of the trainees have done extremely well during the nine-week course. We are looking forward to further developing the programme, and to bringing more and more Emirati nationals into our exciting and rewarding industry."

Ms.Victoria Warner, Human Resources Director, Shangri-La Hotel Dubai, said: "The programme has proven to be an excellent tool in engaging UAE Nationals to the hospitality industry. Due to the structure and commitment of all parties involved, it exceeded all of our expectations. It has been an enriching experience both for our company and all of our employees. We were impressed with the trainee's commitment and enthusiasm."

The DTCM ETFT operates under the umbrella of the DTCM and is made up of representatives from TANMIA, key hospitality sector companies in Dubai along with hospitality industry educational institutions such as the Higher Colleges of Technology and the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.

The DTCM ETFT conducted Hospitality Industry
Career Development Summer Programmes in 2002, 2003 and 2004 for UAE national high school students and job seekers.

The summer programmes were sponsored by the DTCM. The outcome of which has been to see the number of UAE nationals working in hotels in Dubai increase from fifteen five years ago to more than two hundred and fifty today. In addition, the DTCM ETFT has run best practice Emiratisation workshops targeted at the hospitality industry.

From 2006 onwards, the DTCM ETFT intends to run up to five Hospitality Industry MAHARAT Programmes per year to significantly boost the employment of UAE nationals in hotels. The Task Force looks forward to working in the future with both TANMIA and the recently-launched Emirates Nationals Development Programme