Vocational Training Bridges Gap for Youth in United Arab Emirates

For some boys living in the United Arab Emirates, the desire and motivation to complete high school is often lacking. According to statistics from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, 25% of Emirati boys fail to complete high school. For these boys, dropping out greatly limits career options and thus most resort to seeking employment with the military or police.

According to a research study conducted by the International Council on Security and Development, the unemployment rate among Emiratis is about 12%, however not due to lack of jobs. In another study conducted by the consulting firm Deloitte, they determined that jobs are available, but students simply aren’t graduating with the skills required to preform in the work force.

“While the U.A.E has built a strong perception as an educational hub, there remain some important word force supply and demand gaps in a number of industries, energy, and healthcare,” said Emmanuel Durou, a consulting director at Deloitte Middle East.

To diminish the workforce gap, boys are finally being presented with an alternative path and rather than going to university or joining the police force, students are signing up for practical engineering programs offered at the National Institute of Vocational Education (NIVE) in Dubai.

The director of NIVE, Naji Almahdi, expressed his views that, “our current education system does not yield itself to the individual, which is why vocational study is important; it gives students more choices and therefore, greater chances of success.” By presenting boys with more options to be successful, many are optimistic about the positive changes this could provide within society.

Emiratis, who historically excelled as traders and merchants, have a rich tradition of craftwork relying on practical and tactile skills. The vocational training programs utilize these traditional skills and have now spread across the country in many grade levels. For the first time, two schools scheduled to open this summer are entirely dedicated to vocational education.

To keep up with the growing demand for vocational education opportunities, the Higher Colleges of Technology have also been revamping their courses to attract more students. Deputy Vice Chancellor Sam Shaw stated, “we are introducing new programs, such as an applied diploma in retail, to give students more options.”

All of these changes are providing students with more opportunities to not only contribute to their economy, but also to feel empowered and valued within society.

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Written by Ashleigh Brown