HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has emphasised that DEWA participates in Careers UAE every year, which is an ideal platform to directly communicate with job seekers, fresh graduates, and students. This supports DEWA’s strategy to attract talented Emiratis, graduates, and students, and prepare them to lead the energy and water sectors, reflecting DEWA’s commitment to overall excellence.
The statement was made when Al Tayer visited DEWA’s stand at Careers UAE, which was held from 9-11 April 2017. DEWA’s stand attracted a large number of citizens and fresh graduates. Many students and parents were interested in DEWA’s scholarships, which it provides in collaboration with a number of the best universities and colleges in the UAE and abroad. DEWA received 3,364 job applications while at Careers UAE. DEWA used a live online evaluation mechanism of applications that is approved by the UK Evaluation Society. DEWA is one of the first government organisations to adopt this method of evaluation, which involves online tests designed for different roles and specialisations, as well as tests for students applying for DEWA’s scholarship programme. 
“By participating in Careers UAE and other career fairs in the UAE, we aim to attract experienced and fresh-graduate Emiratis to work at DEWA, particularly in engineering and technical roles. DEWA has a clear strategy to attract Emirati staff and support their innovation and creativity. Emirati youth possess the required skills that will help achieve DEWA’s vision and transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world. DEWA has achieved excellent results in Emiratisation, with UAE Nationals comprising 86.4% of senior management and 47.8% in middle management,” said Tayer.
Al Tayer noted that DEWA’s Emiratisation strategy includes ambitious programmes to train and prepare Emiratis for technical and engineering jobs. DEWA provides various scholarships to Emirati students who wish to further their studies in the energy sector in the UAE and abroad. This is part of DEWA’s strategy to develop a generation capable of spearheading the UAE’s water and energy sectors. DEWA provides its employees with state-of-the-art training programmes, to keep them up to date with the latest developments, and improve their skills and professional performance, which in turn benefits the UAE and its citizens.
“DEWA is working to reach the highest-possible level of Emiratisation in engineering and technical roles, especially after its success in the Emiratisation of many administrative and financial jobs. DEWA focuses on providing staff with the appropriate skills that meet work needs. We have many training programmes for Emirati students to complete their studies in the UAE or abroad, in mechanical and electrical engineering, and in renewable energy,” said Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA.
Students and parents who visited Careers UAE were interested in DEWA’s scholarship programme for Emirati students. Scholarships include a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, in collaboration with the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai (Dubai Men’s College), Bachelor’s degrees in either electrical or mechanical engineering in collaboration with different government and private universities, a Bachelor’s degree in either electrical or mechanical engineering in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates University, and a Bachelor’s degree in electrical or mechanical engineering for 60 students in private universities, 20 scholarships in renewable energy at Sharjah University, and 10 scholarships in renewable energy in universities abroad.
At Careers UAE, DEWA also highlighted the DEWA Academy, which trains and qualifies young Emiratis both academically and practically in various technical and professional areas covering production, transmission and distribution of energy and water, and water desalination. Graduates will receive their diplomas from the UK’s Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), one of the pioneering vocational-rehabilitation organisations in the world. The certificates are equivalent to the vocational high-school diplomas, enabling graduates to work in different technical fields at DEWA. Students from the DEWA Academy presented several projects at DEWA’s stand at Careers UAE.
