DUBAL recruits UAE talent through Fujairah Careers Fair

An avid proponent of Emiratization, Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL) fully supports the vision of H H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Chairman of DUBAL) regarding Emiratization of the country’s workforce. The company has established dedicated Emiratization strategies and policies, with the support of top management, to ensure that UAE Nationals are developed to take on challenging roles with increased responsibilities within the organization.

As part of its National Development Programme, DUBAL consciously creates job opportunities for UAE Nationals in technical fields, and pro-actively targets students (both high school and university graduates) from across the UAE as potential incumbents. For example, the company was a strategic participant in the Fujairah Careers Fair 2011 exhibition, held from 17 to 19 May; and took advantage of the opportunity to attract the interest of talented and ambitious UAE Nationals seeking jobs in technical disciplines. 

Mohammed Ali Al Owais (Manager: Organisation Development) reports that the event was a success, especially as DUBAL’s objectives for participating were met. “The number of students who visited our stand and showed interest in working for DUBAL was not only far higher than at Fujairah Careers Fair 2010, but also exceeded our expectations,” he says. “This confirmed DUBAL’s growing stature as an employee of choice; and gave the DUBAL representatives the scope to provide detailed descriptions to the students on the opportunities available to UAE Nationals and to receive curriculum vitae for these specific positions — which has facilitated the follow-up process for both applicants and DUBAL.”  

Another key differentiator of DUBAL, promoted strongly at Fujairah Careers Fair 2011, is the company’s well-structured initiatives after the event. In this instance, DUBAL invited all potential candidates to an Open Day at the company’s site in Jebel Ali. The day’s agenda included a presentation on DUBAL’s National Recruitment Programmes, delivered by Senior Management from our National Recruitment department; detailed information on the benefits and allowances (such as housing and transportation) provided to DUBAL employees, salary packages and grade scales; and a plant tour so as to give the candidates a better understanding of the processes at DUBAL, the tasks and working environment. 

“As a direct consequence of the DUBAL Open Day, many candidates attracted through Fujairah Careers Fair 2011 will be joining DUBAL’s Technical National Programme in September this year, provided they satisfy the entry requirements,” says Al Owais. “This demonstrates how the DUBAL Human Resources department has successfully adopted H H Sheikh Hamdan’s vision for Emiratization as its own, then executed various strategies and tactics to attract talented UAE Nationals, and modes to retain them. Once again, we have shown that career-orientated events — such as the Fujairah Careers Fair 2011 — play a key role in enticing young UAE Nationals to apply for employment at DUBAL, where they will benefit from the career growth opportunities offered by our ongoing industrial journey.” 

Built on a 480-hectare site in Jebel Ali, DUBAL’s smelter complex has a hot metal production capacity in excess of one million metric tonnes per year. This makes the DUBAL complex not only the largest producer of primary aluminium in the Gulf region, but also one of the world’s largest single-site aluminium smelters. Employment is provided to approximately 4,000 people, of whom 15 per cent are currently UAE Nationals (the proportion at senior management level exceeds 70 per cent).