United Arab Emirates: Strategic plan introduced to shape skills needed to underpin UAE supply chains

The United Arab Emirates has announced a new “Industrialist Programme” to build the skills needed to grow home-grown supply chains.

The programme comes as a result of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council –  will involve training emiratis to access skilled jobs in the industrial sector as part of the National In-Country Value (ICV) initiative.

A Special Emiratisation Committee is to be established, under the umbrella of the National ICV programme, “to ensure the programme’s goals are accomplished”, said UAE official news agency WAM.

Under-secretary of MoIAT, Omar Al Suwaidi, said, “[MoIAT] is committed to leveraging the enablers and incentives provided under the National ICV programme to boost industrial growth and competitiveness, in addition to creating more high-quality jobs for Emiratis in the private sector. As an initiative of the National ICV programme, the Industrialist Programme will help to increase the availability of skilled jobs for UAE nationals.

“MoIAT has launched several initiatives that support growth and industrial competitiveness, such as Make it in the Emirates, the National ICV programme and the Technology Transformation Programme. These initiatives further enhance the industrial sector’s competitive advantages and enablers, providing opportunities for local and international investors, while empowering national talents and developing capacities and skills.”

Under the ICV programme there is a goal for the UAE industrial sector to contribute more than $81.7bn to GDP by 2031.

Last year a dozen firms including Adnoc, ADQ Holding, Emirates Global Aluminium and Pure Health identified more than 300 products to be manufactured locally to boost self-sufficiency and resilience.

A total of 20 government organisations and companies are now part of the ICV programme.