GEMS Education today held a special event to officially onboard its 12 newest members of staff, all of whom are Emiratis and People of Determination and who will be taking up diverse teaching and administrative roles across multiple GEMS schools offering various curricula.
The event, held at the GEMS Corporate Office in Dubai, saw the new GEMS recruits personally welcomed by Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education and The Varkey Foundation, as well as his sons Dino Varkey, GEMS Group Chief Executive Officer, and Jay Varkey, GEMS Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Also present were key representatives from Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education and The Varkey Foundation, said: “In the same way that GEMS schools are, and have always been, 100% inclusive, so our recruitment strategy is equally inclusive, championing equal opportunities for all.
“The experience we’ve gathered over the course of our more than 65 years in education tells that this inclusive approach greatly enriches our schools and enhances the amazing teaching and learning that takes place in our classrooms.
“It therefore gives us great pleasure to welcome our new Emirati staff today and to support the UAE’s important Emiratisation agenda. I have no doubt that they will find their tenures at GEMS successful, rewarding, and purposeful as they bring their skills and expertise to ensure we continue to provide the very best education for our students.”
Today’s event forms part of GEMS’ successful Emiratisation efforts that have already seen a total of 1,070 UAE nationals take up various teaching and non-teaching roles across the GEMS network. These efforts reflect the group’s commitment to fostering local talent and supporting the UAE’s vision for sustainable development and economic diversification.
The new Emirati staff have joined several GEMS schools across Dubai, taking up various positions including teaching assistants and admin assistants, as well as internships and customer service roles.
Fatima Alshamsi, Vice President – Emiratisation at GEMS Education, said: “Empowering Emirati People of Determination with meaningful job opportunities is not just a commitment, but a responsibility to build an inclusive and resilient workforce for the future.”
GEMS maintains ongoing collaborations with KHDA, MOHRE, the Ministry of Education, Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR), and the Emirati Human Resources Competitiveness Council (NAFIS). In 2024, GEMS Modern Academy was presented with the prestigious NAFIS Award for Education in acknowledgment of its outstanding support of the Council.
Since October 2023, the GEMS group has been actively prioritising its Emiratisation drive designed to promote the national workforce across its network of schools and ancillary services in the UAE. These efforts have seen GEMS successfully participate in scores of career fairs and hold Emiratisation open days for direct recruitment and hires, while also providing training, internships, and workshops for Emirati candidates.
