On the occasion of Eid Al Etihad, marking the 53rdanniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates, GEMS Education today held a special event at GEMS Cambridge International Private School – Sharjahto proudly celebrate the group’s significant contributions to the UAE’s Emiratisation strategy and recognise the positive impact of its Emirati members of staff.
Aligning with the country’s vision to empower and integrate UAE nationals into the private-sector workforce, GEMS has made great strides over the past two years in advancing the recruitment, retention, and development of Emirati talent in its schools and central school support function.
In attendance at the event were Emirati staff from across the GEMS group, as well as representation from the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
Addressing attendees, Dino Varkey, Group Chief Executive Officer of GEMS Education, said:“At GEMS Education, we remain fully committed in our support of the UAE’s Emiratisation strategy and we are proud to count so many talented Emiratis among our dedicated staff across the country. Their contribution to our schools and the education sector as a whole is greatly valued and we are pleased to be able to celebrate our collective successes on this special occasion.
“Just as steadfast is our commitment to ensuring our Emirati employees thrive in their careers with GEMS and that they find reward and fulfilment working within education, so that they may inspire others to follow in their footsteps and in turn help realise the UAE leadership’s vision for the nation.”
In line with the UAE government’s goal of enhancing the role of Emiratis in the private sector, GEMS has successfully implemented a range of initiatives designed to attract and promote Emirati employees. Today’s event, which included student performances to celebrate Emirati culture, served as an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the success of these efforts while also awarding standout Emirati GEMS staff.
Since September 2022,more than 900 Emirati nationals have been onboarded across the GEMS group in both academic and administrative roles. At the same time the retention of Emirati talent has been a key focus of GEMS’ Emiratisation strategy, reflected in the launch in 2023 ofa tailored Emirati Education Business Management Programme that provides Emirati staff with dedicated support from senior leadership to chart their career paths.
GEMS has invested heavily in the continuous learning and development of its Emirati workforce. The group introduced specialised school leadership training programmes aimed at equipping UAE nationals with the skills necessary to thrive in the education sector.GEMS has also expanded its outreach efforts, engaging with schools, universities, and recruitment fairs across the UAE to inspire younger generations to pursue careers in education.
Fatima Alshamsi, Head of Emiratisation at GEMS Education, said: “We are delighted to celebrate Eid Al Etihad together with our growing family of talented Emirati staff.We take great pride in the effectiveness of our concerted efforts to support the UAE’s Emiratisation strategy.
“Through the successful implementation of numerous initiatives, we have made great progress in terms of attracting UAE nationals to GEMS and retaining our Emirati talent across our organisation.We very much look forward to continuing this important work towards realising our leaders’ vision for the nation.”
