HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), visited the new buildings of DEWA Academy, at Al Hudaiba, Dubai, to follow up on their progress. DEWA Academy includes five new buildings with four floors each, including classrooms, lecture halls, theatre, main entrances, and workshops.
Construction of buildings A and B, which include classrooms and technical workshops, is expected to be complete by the end of August, 2017. The Academy will receive students for the 2017-2018 academic year in September, 2017.
Covering 343,789,000 square feet, the academy will teach all energy-related disciplines such as electrical and mechanical engineering, maintenance, equipment operation, and renewable and sustainable energy. The new buildings include offices for specialised personnel, engineers, and trainers, as well as training rooms, class rooms, and workshops equipped with state-of-the-art technology and educational facilities, computer labs and a theatre for educational support activities, a multi-purpose hall, an outdoor playground, a library and nursery, as well as multi-storey car parks.
“In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to boost Emiratisation to achieve the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021 by investing in Emiratis skills, building a generation that keeps pace with the government and the future, and focusing on the development of a high-level educational system that enhances the aspirations of UAE nationals. DEWA is one of the leading government institutions to launch training programmes for young Emiratis wishing to complete their studies, inside and outside the UAE, in various aspects of energy, and preparing them academically and practically to play positive roles in their careers, and enhance their competitiveness in the job market,” said Al Tayer.
“The new academy building has a large area that accommodates the increasing number of students who wish to study various professional competencies. It will be equipped with the latest technologies and world-class equipment that will contribute to meet their requirements and their educational and training needs, and develop their skills in order to enable them to become leaders of the future. The DEWA Academy qualifies Emirati youth academically in technical, engineering, and vocational fields in various technical specialisations required by DEWA for the Emiratisation of these specialties. This also helps DEWA to carry out its ambitious expansion plans, and continue its pioneering role in meeting Dubai’s energy and water demands. The new Academy building is a qualitative leap, in terms of the size and the capacity of students it can take. The Academy also plays an important role in the development of Emiratis and offers a curriculum that is developed and approved by the highest and latest international standards. It provides students with the required technical and professional capacity to compete in the highly competitive labour market. The Academy relies on the curriculum of the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Business and Technology Education Council (Pearson BTEC),” added Al Tayer.
DEWA is keen to prepare young Emiratis in technical disciplines to meet their growing needs in all their studies, and to consolidate its pioneering role as a government institution that contributes effectively to the building and development of the country and its citizens. Through its Academy, DEWA provides opportunities for young Emiratis to acquire the technical skills required to enter the work environment, in addition to multiple skills such as time management, planning, innovation and teamwork, through the best engineers, trainers, and accredited experts in the fields of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and maintenance and operation of equipment. The duration of the study in the Academy extends to three years, and includes a monthly incentive for students. The Academy also ensures direct employment as opportunities for graduates to work within DEWA’s qualified technical staff, once they complete their studies successfully. After the completion of study, students will receive a certificate from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai (KHDA), equivalent to the Secondary School Leaving Certificate in the UAE, in addition to a certificate issued by Pearson BTEC. Over 21 million students, from 46 countries, including the UAE, participate in this annual programme.