Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE's national railway, has launched a new training and employment programme, as part of the company’s continuous commitment to support Emiratisation.

As one of the steps involved in Etihad Rail’s Emiratisation programme, the contractors and joint venture partners working on the design and build elements of Stage Two of the Pan-Emirates railway network will train and hire 50 suitably qualified UAE nationals in various disciplines and fields in the industry.

Etihad Rail is a positive contributor to the UAE government’s initiative to employ its citizens in a meaningful and efficient manner in both the public and private sector, by continuing to create jobs
and providing the necessary training, development programmes and vocational guidance as a way of encouraging employment among citizens, said the statement from the company.

The programme is aimed at boosting the Emiratis' opportunities in the job market, and empowering them to make a significant contribution to the UAE economy, it added.

Chief corporate support officer Saeed Al Ahbabi said: "Etihad Rail is very proud to be opening up 50 additional job opportunities to Emirati employees through our local partners, in line with the directives of our Chairman Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Executive Council Member and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court."

"As of today, approximately 80 per cent of our higher management structure is Emirati," remarked Al Ahbabi.

"Now that Stage Two of the national project is under way, we shall be recruiting from across all seven emirates and the training, followed by suitable employment, will equip each one of them technically and professionally to facilitate their growth, enable them to become leading proponents of the transport and infrastructure industry," he stated.

Al Ahbabi pointed out that the main goal of the programme was to provide UAE national engineers with the necessary experience to implement strategic projects.

"It complements Etihad Rail’s existing employment, training and development strategies to recruit and develop UAE Nationals, ensuring that they become the leaders of tomorrow. Further opportunities and initiatives in support of Emiratisation will be introduced in the future as the national railway project progresses," he stated.

According to him, the Etihad Rail board had always been keen to devise initiatives and programmes that support the people of the UAE and provide appropriate training and work opportunities for them.
"This enables them to achieve their ambitions and employ their skills and talent in order to become an important part of the nation’s march over the next 50 years leading to the UAE’s centenary, an innovative approach that was launched recently by the wise leadership in order to take further giant strides in the country's infrastructure and economy," he explained.

Three years ago, Etihad Rail established a programme with Adveti, the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute, to propel Emirati graduates towards a fulfilling career in transport engineering and management.

The first batch of Emirati students will be graduating next year after completing their studies with on-the-job work experience with Etihad Rail DB, the joint venture between Etihad Rail and Deutsche Bahn (DB), Europe’s largest rail freight business operating Stage One of the network.

They will be able to specialise in one of four specialisations: train captain, train controller, rolling stock technician and systems technician, said Al Ahbabi.

A second batch of graduates, including four females, has since enrolled for the Diploma course, and they have joined the first group of 10 students, the success of whom has been a complimentary testament to the accomplishments of the Diploma programme, he noted.

For this latest initiative, Etihad Rail will be recruiting male and female university graduates with majors in Engineering for three-year training programme that will equip them with global certification on completion.

Etihad Rail’s contractors will be required to submit a detailed training scheme proposal within 30 days of receiving their notice to proceed, and employment of the trainees must commence within three months.

The Emirati trainees will be constantly assessed according to their personal development plans which will be formalised within 60 days of placement, stated the report.

The plan will support various aspects of trainee development, including design, project management, quality assurance, quality control, construction, stakeholder management, contract management and HSE skills, it added.-TradeArabia News Service