• The MoU between HRA and ADGMA will support employment and long-term career development of Emirati Nationals within leading financial institutions
• The ceremony marks the successful completion of the Bankers Programme by more than 300 UAE nationals
• ADGMA’s National Development Programmes are designed to support UAE nationals in establishing their careers in the private sector with internationally recognised firms.

Abu Dhabi Global Market Academy (ADGMA), the knowledge arm of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an International Financial Centre (IFC) of the capital emirate of the UAE, has renewed its commitment to upskilling and developing Emirati nationals by signing the National Employability Agenda with Human Resources Authority.

The announcement was made during the first edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) hosted by ADGM between 14th and 18th November 2022, in partnership with key economic drivers of the Abu Dhabi economy and a group of global and regional financial institutions. The week-long event serves as a platform for in-depth conversations around the MENA region’s thriving financial sector, industry trends, developments and innovation involving financial markets and global banking.

The National Employability Agenda included the renewal and expansion of the National Development Programme (NDP) agreement and the signing of the Financial Job Centre MoU, which was held during the annual NDP Graduation Ceremony. The Ceremony marked a successful completion of various programmes focused on key sectors of the financial industry including Banking, Audit and Accountancy, Insurance, and Consultancy. The NDP is focused on providing both international qualifications, as well as on-the-job experience with private sector companies to ensure UAE Nationals are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to advance within their career.

The renewal and expansion of the NDP agreement for 2023 aims to support the employment of over 200 UAE nationals in critical jobs in Banking, Audit and Accountancy, Management Consultancy, and Insurance sectors. The renewed agreement also seeks to enable over 200 Emirati nationals to develop their careers in new sectors of importance which include Treasury, Tax, and Digital.

As part of the initial success of the Financial Job Centre 2022, which has led the upskilling and reskilling of 800 Emirati Nationals by supporting them in kick-starting their professional journeys. HRA and ADGMA renewed the Financial Job Centre initiative for a period of 3 years, targeting 3,000 participants to join the private sector through the Centre. ADGMA and HRA have jointly developed The Financial Job Centre to connect private sector employers and Emirati national job seekers and foster an efficient knowledge-sharing environment, promote career development and market growth. The Centre is a unique initiative that provides participants with world-class technical and behavioral training, coaching and market-specific mentoring. These initiatives highlight ADGMA’s and HRA’s commitment to the national employability agenda and ensuring Emirati nationals are given long-term career opportunities within the private sector.

The signing was held alongside the NDP Graduation Ceremony that celebrated the achievements of over 300 graduates from the Programme, who have successfully completed the Pre-Audit Qualification Training Programme, The Bankers Programme, NAFIS Talent Programme and Anti-Money Laundering Programme. The graduates are now successfully placed as full-time employees with leading UAE banks, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), as well as big four audit firms such as KPMG.

One key programme, known as The Bankers Programme, was launched in 2022 in line with the National Employability Agenda to develop a knowledge-based economy and enhance UAE’s position as a global financial hub. To support the national agenda for building a future-ready generation, the Programme provides candidates with well-accredited international qualifications and on-the-job training that supports holistic career development.

Commenting on the event, Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, COO of ADGM & Managing Director of ADGM Academy said: “This ceremony and the signing of such significant agreements is a proud moment for us as ADGM Academy and for all the graduates. Since the launch of the first National Employability Programme back in 2019, more than 700 Emiratis have graduated and secured jobs in top regional and international companies. We are glad to further strengthen our partnership with HRA and continue to provide world-class education and upskilling opportunities to UAE nationals. Today, we witness the graduation of another 300 Emiratis from the Bankers Programme, which highlights our continuous endeavour at ADGM Academy to further UAE’s knowledge economy and continue celebrating the successes of the Emirati talent.”

HE Amal Al Jabri, Director General of HRA, said: “We are committed to supporting the Abu Dhabi government’s mission to be a true global leader in government excellence, significantly improving the position of the Emirate in global economic rankings, in turn attracting investment and top talent. We are proud to support the ADGM Academy in their National Employability Programme as a key strategic partner, this initiative is strategically developed and positioned for the empowerment of our youth and skilled UAE talents and is at the heart of our HRA mandate.”

The event was also attended by HE Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) to celebrate the success of recent Emirati graduates from various qualification programmes conducted in partnership between NAFIS and ADGMA.

To mark the success of the graduates and on account of signing the MoUs of paramount significance, H.E. Amal Al Jaberi, Director General of HRA and H.E. Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary General at NAFIS and Fatima Al Marzouqi, Director of Portfolio Emiratization at Mubadala will host a panel discussion “Motivating Future Leaders”, highlighting the importance of developing a knowledge-based economy and sharing the contribution of both local and federal government towards building a strong and resilient nation.