The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure launched a new initiative to support national cadres and engineering graduates by setting training programs between 3 to 6 months to merge and qualify graduates to work in the private sector.

His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, attended the launching of the initiative called NAFIS in Energy’ in a ceremony at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in presence of Eng. Sherif Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, Eng. Nadia Al Naqbi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector, Eng. Yousef Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for the Electricity, Water and Future Energy Sector at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and representatives of concerned companies.

H.E. Al Mazrouei said: “The initiative is in line with the country’s efforts to enable and empower national cadres to secure jobs in the private sector and to support the government program ‘Nafis’ to have 75,000 Emiratis in the private sector in the next five years. The ministry signed agreements with a number of private companies in the energy sector to prepare plans and training programs to qualify and train the occupations with high demand in the private sector.”

He added: “The ministry has plans to support the UAE’s government targets of Emiratization in the private sector. Launching this unique initiative will have a noticeable impact and encourage our partners in the private sector to embrace Emiratis and develop their capabilities.”

Al Mazrouei pointed that the ministry has clear plans in the energy sector established on qualifying national cadres to take responsibility in the energy sector, as well as, enable and encourage Emiratis to work in this vital sector.

He said that qualifying the Emirati cadres to work in the energy sector is a priority for decision-makers in the country.

“Today Emirati citizens account for 60 per cent of the employees in Nuclear Energy Corporation and its subsidiary companies, the Nawah Power Company and the Barakah First Company,” he said.

He affirmed that the ministry is keen to continue the march towards sustainable development by harnessing all resources, capabilities, and investing in exceptional minds and expertise to develop the energy and infrastructure sectors to achieve the government’s vision for the next 50 years.

Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, said: “Many concerned entities supported the program by providing job opportunities and training courses for Emirati job seekers. It is very important to join forces between government entities to support the role of qualified national cadres to develop and enhance economic development, expand investment in various sectors, especially the energetic energy sector in order to have a new generation of Emiratis that are capable to manage and develop the sector in line with the project of the 50 and initiatives to strengthen the efficiency and competitiveness of national cadres.”

He praised the ministry’s initiative (NAFIS in Energy) as it will contribute to strengthen the participation of Emiratis in the energy sector.

“Working with different ministries, government and private sectors to achieve NAFIS’s goals of recruiting qualified and skilled Emiratis in private sector. The ministry’s efforts to attract engineers and experts in the energy sector will boost their contribution in achieving economic development.”

Launched in 2021, the government program ‘NAFIS’ (which means "Compete" in English), meant to increase the competitiveness of Emirati human resources and empower them to employ 75,000 Emiratis in the private sector in the next five years, after directions from the UAE’s President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to allocate Dh24 billion got implementing the program’s initiatives and projects.