55 of Abu Dhabi’s young elite depart for Germany and Singapore on Al Nokhba Internship Program

55 of Abu Dhabi’s elite engineering students departed for Dresden, Germany and Singapore this week as part of the Al Nokhba internship program. Sponsored by the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC) and the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), the internship is designed to provide the best and brightest UAE engineering students with hands-on experience at the world-class semiconductor manufacturing facilities of GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the ATIC-owned semiconductor manufacturing company.

“For Abu Dhabi, building a strong human capital base is a fundamental aspect of growing an economic future rooted in science, technology and research. These students represent a key pillar in our strategy to nurture young bright Emirati talent and evolve Abu Dhabi’s economy into one that is based on knowledge and innovation. We view this program as an exciting step towards this goal as it gives some of our nation’s brightest young minds the opportunity to learn first-hand from leaders in this industry,” said Ibrahim Ajami, CEO of ATIC.

“This year’s six week internship includes 26 male students and 29 female students who met the high standards required for entry,” said Mona Majed Al Mansouri, ADEC’s Division Manager of Guidance and Scholarships. “This is the third consecutive year students from Abu Dhabi have traveled to Dresden as part of the Al Nokhba program and the first time GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ Singapore campus has been included. The addition of the Singapore internship is a significant step in the program’s development, providing students the opportunity to learn in another major hub of the global semiconductor industry.”

The internship kicked off here in Abu Dhabi with orientation materials and guidance to ensure students are fully prepared as they begin their studies overseas. ATIC and ADEC representatives, intercultural experts as well as previous interns led the day’s events, providing professional and personal insight on how to succeed while abroad.

As this year’s interns land in Dresden and Singapore, they will spend their first week meeting the management team and gaining an appreciation for the culture of excellence that forms the basis of the modern industry. The next stage will involve two weeks of interactive classroom training, as well as hands-on simulations to teach interns the intricate process of wafer fabrication. Students will then put the past three weeks of learning to use as they spend two weeks observing and walking through the full process of a real semiconductor supply chain - from bare silicon fabricating, equipment assembly to wafer testing. Building on this knowledge, the program will end with one week of intensive workshops designed to instill a strong teamwork and managerial skill set relevant to the semiconductor industry.

During their time abroad, interns will also have the opportunity to participate in a full cultural activities program. The program is designed to tie these experiences with the broader internship to grow an appreciation of intercultural and interdisciplinary teamwork. According to the organizers, this intercultural teamwork is a critical success factor in operating a global manufacturing business.

Meaning the elite in Arabic, Al Nokhba is part of ATIC’s overall efforts to develop a strong human capital base, which will serve as a foundation for Abu Dhabi’s strategic development in the advanced technology sector.