In line with the role played by Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (“DUBAL”) in terms of supporting and developing UAE Nationals, a group of UAE National students from The Institute of Applied Technology (“IAT”) in Dubai has completed a customised technical training programme at DUBAL. The students began the programme on 11 July 2010 and spent four weeks in the company’s technical workshop areas so as to obtain the practical experience required to complement their theoretical education in the classroom.
After orientation (completing application forms, signing contracts, viewing DUBAL’s corporate and safety films, and a plant tour), the IAT students were deployed in the I.T. Workshop, Residential Area Workshop, Mobile Equipment Workshop, Rigging & Inspection (CMS), Instrumentation Workshop, Equipment Repair Shop, and Electrical Workshop. Each student was assigned a mentor/supervisor to ensure maximum benefit from the initiative; and all are undoubtedly better prepared for their final year of secondary schooling (Grade 12), which begins mid-September 2010. During a special closing ceremony on 5 August 2010, each youngster received a certificate of attendance from DUBAL and wages.
“The annual programme, which forms an integral part of DUBAL’s national development initiatives, has two core objectives: firstly to support education in the UAE by providing both technical skills training and relevant work environment exposure to IAT students; and secondly, to attract the students’ interest as potential employees of DUBAL,” says Marwan Al Sawaleh (General Manager: Human Resources). “It is also in keeping with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between DUBAL and IAT on 30 June 2008 with the aim of establishing the framework for a training partnership between the two organisations.”
