The ‘Ain Al Mustaqbal’ project, an initiative of Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council to facilitate the employment of Emirati women in Al Ain, has had a positive impact on jobseekers, the private sector and the local community, according to preliminary findings from the Emirates Foundation Tawteen Programme’s research.
The project to date has successfully led to employment for over 150 Emirati women in private sector jobs in Al Ain.
‘Ain Al Mustaqbal’ is led by the Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council (ADTC) and is supported by the Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group (ADUKG) and the Emirates Foundation Tawteen Programme (EFTP). The project – launched in October 2009 at the UAE Employers Forum – aims to increase levels of private sector employment of female Emiratis in Al Ain. A range of career and personal development initiatives, targeting unemployed women, private sector employers and the wider community, have accordingly been established.
‘Ain Al Mustaqbal’ is one of ADTC’s most high-profile and targeted initiatives and includes a number of components. Female jobseekers register with ADTC and are assessed to identify, and helped to fill, individual needs and skills gaps. The project team also works with private sector employers to identify existing and future employment trends.
Jobseekers are accordingly given a better understanding of private sector industries and available positions through participation in ‘taster day’ visits to local employers. The project is supported by an awareness campaign in newspapers and outdoor advertising in Al Ain as well as a series of employer and jobseeker events and roadshows.
Promoting change in local perceptions towards private sector employment is an important goal of the project. To date, statistics show an increase of jobseeker confidence. Prior to the project, only every third job seeker felt optimistic about finding the right private sector job. Ain Al Mustaqbal has improved this so that every second Emirati lady can be confident about her career prospects.
Out of the 235 jobseekers’ families interviewed, the vast majority (89 percent) say they improved their knowledge of the private sector due to the daughter’s experience. A promising 87 percent of Al Ain families interviewed would consider permitting their family members to work in the private sector, taking into account the opportunities available in non-traditional work environments.
Employers’ willingness to employ local Emirati women is also increasing, further to direct engagement with jobseekers through initiatives such as ‘taster days’. Of the 10 employers surveyed, all 10 agree that the project is improving jobseekers’ knowledge and awareness about working in the sector. Seven of them identified job seekers they would be interested in interviewing or recruiting.
A well-attended family evening for over 130 guests was held at the HCT Al Ain Women’s College, bringing together employers, female Emirati role models, jobseekers and their families to discuss the private sector as a viable career option and to outline its opportunities and benefits. Participants were given the opportunity to voice their own concerns and hear first-hand from other Emirati women about their experiences of working in the private sector.
Adding to the continued success of the ‘Ain Al Mustaqbal’ project are the many jobseekers who volunteer as ‘community implementers’. This role involves them in gaining work experience through liaising with employers, other jobseekers and project partners at initiatives such as ‘taster days’. Their support and commitment is essential to the project and facilitates further outreach into the community.
Speaking about the project, Abdullah Al Darmaki, General Manager of the ADTC said: ’We are encouraged by the success of the project and the impact it has on local women and the wider community in Al Ain. We are helping to facilitate a real change in perceptions towards working in the private sector, which will ultimately lead to greater participation in the work place and contribute to the economic development of the UAE. This project is just the first step.’
© 2010 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
