Emirati graduates honoured

Efforts to reduce unemployment among young people and increase the number of Emiratis working in the private sector took another step forward yesterday as more than 750 graduates were honoured at a ceremony in Dubai. A total of 769 Emirati graduates from a range of sectors including tourism and banking were congratulated by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Among them were 50 visually impaired graduates from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) initiative Tamkeen, who had taken courses in English and office skills. Essa al Mulla, the KHDA's executive director for national workforce development, said the authority was proud to have been part of the graduates' career preparation. "All of our students have done their very best and now can be proud to be graduates," he said.

"Our work does not stop here. We will support these young people in any way they want once they are in the workplace and wish them luck in the future. "We have a responsibility to give nationals the chance to take their place in the workforce. "They will add to the quality of the work that will take Dubai towards fulfilling the ambitions of the Strategic Plan 2015." About 139 students from the National Institute of Vocational Education in Academic City graduated with banking skills and the 580 others will now enter the tourism, banking, insurance and retail sectors thanks to the Emiratisation and National Development Programme.

loatway@thenational.ae