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Among those who attended the inauguration ceremony were Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Al Qassimi - Chairman of Sharjah Emiri Court, Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi - Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Mr. Humaid Al Qatami - UAE Minister of Health, Mr. Humaid Al Tayer - Chairman of the Human Resource Development Committee for the Banking sector, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa - Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI), Mr. Mohammed Salem Al Mosaharrekh - Board Member, Mr. Saif Al Midfa - Director General of Expo Centre Sharjah, directors of various government departments, and members of the diplomatic corps and trade associations.
The opening ceremony was followed by a function where His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi granted awards recognising those banks in the country that have excelled in national human resource development. The awards were categorised in to three groups. The first category award, which was granted for employing more than 1,000 nationals, went to HSBC and the Dubai Islamic Bank. The second category award for employing between 250 - 1,000 nationals went to Sharjah Islamic Bank, and the third category for employing up to 250 employees went to the Arab Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade.
Mr. Ray Ferguson, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in the UAE, received a special award for his support to the Emiratisation process in the country's banking sector.
Also, 29 UAE nationals who had completed more than 20 years of service in the banking sector were felicitated at the award ceremony. This included 20 male and 9 female employees.
"The UAE currently has one of the highest population growth rates in the world, estimated at 5.6 per cent meaning with roughly 45 per cent of the total population less than 15 years of age,"
said Mr. Saif Al Midfa - Director General of Expo Centre Sharjah, after the inauguration ceremony.
"This high percentage indicates that a large number of nationals will step in to the labour market in the coming years, making it necessary not only to generate jobs but also ensure that the employment opportunities created are suitable for the national youth. The National Career Exhibition is aimed at providing the country's youth with a platform that will help them explore and identify the appropriate career opportunities as per their qualifications and skills," he said.
Mr. Saif Al Midfa further added that the National Career Exhibition offered the country's banking and financial institutions the right avenue to spot and recruit talented nationals. In other words, the event is the UAE's premier recruitment platform for the banking and financial sector, he said.
"This event will to a large extent help the banking and financial institutions of the country reach their Emiratisation target," said Mr. Saif Al Midfa.
The banking sector in the UAE is aiming for 50 per cent Emiratisation by the end of 2007 as per the target set by the Human Resources Development Committee for the Financial Sector.
The 8th edition of the National Career Exhibition is showcasing some of the key organizations in the country's financial sector. The show, which has an exhibitor retention rate of over 90 per cent, is bigger this year, both in terms of the number of exhibitors and exhibition space.
Among the banks that are participating in the event are Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, UAE Central Bank, Union Bank, Commercial Bank of Abu Dhabi, Arab Bank, Dubai Bank, Citibank, Commercial Bank International, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates Bank International, HSBC, Mashreq Bank, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, National Bank of Dubai, National Bank of Sharjah, National Bank of Umm Al Quwain, Standard Chartered Bank, Commercial Bank of Dubai, United Arab Bank, and RAK Bank among others.
Government organisations including the Ministry of Education, Sharjah Municipality, Account and Audit Association, Directorate of Human Resources, Human Resources development and the Sharjah Free Zone are also part of the exhibition.
Prominent educational institutions and universities like the UAE University, Sharjah University, and Skyline College too are featured at the show.
"The last edition of the National Career Exhibition attracted a total of 9,940 visitors. Keeping in view several factors including the current tempo in the Emiratisation process in the country, the increased show size, and the growing number of qualified and skilled nationals, it is our expectation that the number of visitors this year will be substantially more," said Mr. Saif Al Midfa.
The show will be open everyday from 5 to 8 March 2006 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. On March 6, 2006, it will be open exclusively for ladies from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Anne-Birte Stensgaard, Senior News Editor
