Dubai Industrial and UK's TTE create vocation school
DUBAI — Dubai Industrial (DI) City has partnered with UK-based Technical Training Group (TTE) to help the industrial sector in the Middle East fill up its 120,000 vacancies for technical workers every year.
Rashed Al Ansari, CEO of Dubai Industrial, a member of the Dubai Holding entity Tatweer, yesterday led the opening of Dubai Industrial Academy (DIA), which will offer 199 short-term vocational courses starting next month.
"The motivation behind this initiative is our profound belief in education," he said, stressing that knowledge is the "foundation of economic success." DIA is within the 560-million-sq-ft DI development adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport and close to Jebel Ali Port. It also has easy access to major highways.
DI allows investors duty free reduction on products that contain more than 40 per cent local added value when exported to the Gulf Cooperation Council states and the signatories to Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement, or GAFTA.
It is expected to contribute at least Dh36.7 billion ($10 billion) into Dubai's gross domestic product upon its completion in 2015.
Al Ansari said the DI-TTE venture has signed partnerships with over 400 industrial investors in the region that are looking for highly skilled workers in at least six industrial sectors.
These include food and beverage, base metal, mineral products, chemicals, transport equipment and parts, and machinery and mechanical equipment industries.
DIA's curricula cover industrial areas related to oil and gas, mechanical engineering, the QHSE (quality, health, safety and environment), electrical and power engineering, instrumentation, chemical process and laboratory operations, construction and technical and supervisory development.
Running between a few days to three years, the courses at DIA will adopt the 'inclusive approach' of providing a mix of classroom teaching and hands-on practical skills training. Ninety-five per cent of the students will get job offers right after graduation.
"Through industry specific educational opportunities, we will nurture local and regional talent as well as encourage emerging entrepreneurs to invest their capabilities in diverse industrial sectors," Al Ansari said. He added that DIA may customise some training classes depending on the needs of certain companies. He said there are 18 programmes selected with fixed timelines to allow interested parties including expatriates to enroll in advance. TTE's MD Keith Hunter said DIA would mainly focus on training and consultancy services in apprentice, technician and graduate skills development; and the design and operation of technical training centres.
