UAE_President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
This file handout photo, released by the Saudi Royal Palace on May 31, 2019, shows the UAE's Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a meeting in the Saudi holy city of Mecca; he became the UAE president after the death of his half-brother Saudi Royal Palace via AFP / BANDAR AL-JALOUD

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, officially inaugurated the Mawaheb Talent Hub on Tuesday to help the UAE's qualified national talent embark on fruitful careers.

The hub's pilot phase has already benefited 7,450 citizens through 680 upskilling courses and workshops, while 1,650 citizens were matched to roles in high-priority sectors, the Gulf News reported.

The facility provides various programs, including employment counseling, skills assessment, upskilling and reskilling training, as well as role matching and job nomination support to Emiratis.

Furthermore, the hub actively places skilled Emiratis in the evolving demands of the job market in Abu Dhabi.

Following the inauguration of the talent hub, the Crown Prince, who was also the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, toured the state-of-the-art facilities and reviewed services provided across the center, managed by the Department of Government Support (DGS) and the Human Resources Authority (HRA).

The Crown Prince was accompanied by Ali Rashid Qannas Al Ketbi, who served as former DGS Chairman of the talent hub alongside Ahmed Tamim Hisham Al Kuttab, the chairman of DGS; Saif Saeed Ghobash, the secretary-general of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; and Amal Nasser Al Jabri, the director-general of the HRA.

The chairman of DGS said during the launch that it "aligns with our commitment to achieving the goals of Abu Dhabi's broad development strategy for government services," WAM reported.

"Through the enhancement of specialized skills among UAE nationals, the facilitation of professional growth, and the provision of learning opportunities, we aim to refine expertise while fostering a culture of innovation," he added.

He explained the hub was going to create an impact on both the public as well as private sectors, adding these individuals will be contributing to the development of an exceptional pool of Emirati talent.

"These individuals are equipped with high-level skills and expertise and are well prepared to address the demands of the labor market," he said. "The Department of Government Support reaffirms its commitment to nurturing Emirati talent and reinforcing their role in Abu Dhabi's ongoing advancement, in line with the emirate's strategic goal of developing a knowledge-based economy."

Mawaheb Talent Hub's core objective is to develop a pipeline of qualified Emirati talent, who can adapt to continuous shifts in the labor market.

The inauguration came a month after the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in the UAE announced new rules for expansion in Emiratisation, explaining that companies and individual establishments with a workforce ranging from 20 to 49 employees should hire at least one UAE citizen in 2024 and another in 2025.

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