NBAD participates in National Career Exhibition in Dubai

The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the Number One Bank in the UAE, will participate in  the National Career Exhibition to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 21, 22, and 23.

This follows NBAD’s participation at National Career Exhibition in February where the Bank met with hundreds of UAE's national job seekers in its strategic drive to expand career opportunities to UAE nationals across the country.

“NBAD’s healthy balance sheet and strategic planning means that NBAD will continue growing this year,” said Ehab Anis Hassan, the Group Chief Human Resources Officer at NBAD. “In light of this, NBAD’s strategy is to make available our great career opportunities to as many Emiratis as possible.”

Mr. Hassan continued: “NBAD is pleased to allow UAE national job seekers in the Northern Emirates to learn about the great opportunities available at the Bank and to help them develop their careers in the financial services industry.”

Emiratisation at NBAD reached 39% at end of 2010, rising from 36% in 2009 and 30% in 2008.

“Bearing in mind the tough conditions faced by all financial institutions in 2009 and 2010, this is a remarkable achievement. We believe it is a another confirmation of our leading position as an employer of choice in the UAE by running successful recruitment and internship programmes targeting talented UAE graduates,” Mr. Hassan said. “NBAD plans to hire at least 224 UAE nationals in 2011 inline with our objectives to raise Emiratisation rate to 42% by end of this year.”

Remarkably, while NBAD increased its total workforce by more than three fold from 2000 to 2010, Emiratisation jumped by more than eight fold during the same period. In 2000, UAE nationals comprised 149, or 17%, of the NBAD workforce. In 2010, UAE national comprised 1237 (39%) of the total.

“NBAD data shows that our Emiratization strategy and programmes are certainly bearing fruit,” Mr. Hassan says. “NBAD’s strategy goes beyond attracting UAE nationals, we have developed programmes to allow nationals to best their skills and advance their career in the financial industry within NBAD.”

The Bank’s strong recruitment and internship programmes continue to attract and train the best talents. NBAD’s programmes are further strengthened by the Bank’s state-of-the-art NBAD Academy.

Under the NBAD AFAQ programme, for instance, the Bank hires recent university graduates and allows them to spend their first year of employment learning and training at NBAD Academy about the latest banking technologies and methods. During this time, employees receive full employment benefits. The programme has paved the way for many nationals to move to management position in a short time.

NBAD also sponsors enrolled university students by paying a monthly allowance and offers them internship. The nationals in this programme are guaranteed recruitment upon graduation. The National Trainee Development - Al Bedayah – offers nationals to pursue a career path at branches or department while availing to them excellent training at NBAD Academy.

“NBAD is committed to supporting the progress of the UAE nationals; the Bank firmly believes in cultivating the UAE’s human resources, its most valuable asset,” Mr. Hassan said. “In addition to attractive compensations and benefits packages, NBAD's training and job development programmes assure UAE nationals successful careers.”

In addition to participating in the Sharjah and Dubai Career Fairs, NBAD met with several job seekers during Abu Dhabi Tawdeef Career Fair held in January.

“These careers fairs provide a chance for NBAD to meet face-to-face with job seekers to explain to them the rich career and training opportunities that NBAD offers UAE nationals,” said Suaad Al Shammari, the Emiratisation Manager at NBAD.

In recognition of its achievements, NBAD has won a number of awards and recognitions for its Emiratisation programmes and record. Michael H. Tomalin, the Group Chief Executive of NBAD, won the Best Emiratisation CEO award in Banking Sector from Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial studies in 2009. NBAD won the Human Resources Development Award in Banking Sector for 2008 for its successful Emiratisation programmes.