Source: www.rta.ae
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board & Executive Director of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), said: “RTA places top priority to Emiratization and boosting the academic qualifications & skills of the national workforce in conformity with the goals set in RTA Strategic Plan; with the aim of making the RTA the first career option of the qualified human resources. This can be realized through enhancing the competitive edge to attract talents, attaining self-satisfaction in national specialist cadres, and establishing a comprehensive system to motivate and retain employees”.
He continued: “RTA has got in place an integrated plan to Emiratize various jobs and upgrade the qualifications of the national manpower across the RTA in general and in Dubai Metro in particular. At the RTA level career competency progression and support programs have been introduced through providing the employees with advanced professional manuals together with an integrated training program to meet the requirements.
It also launched “Qiyadi” program, which is carried out in association with Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development; a globally leading program in the field of preparing young leaders to assume their responsibilities in the business development. The program aims at improving the abilities & skills of RTA leaders and grooming them for shouldering the responsibilities of higher job positions.
The program includes conducting an advanced scientific review and a systematic upgrading of leadership competencies and skills that help build the leader and lay the foundation of successful leadership in the RTA. In the initial stage, Qiyadi program targets directors & managers; where 20 persons are selected from each category.
“As for Emiratization of Dubai Metro jobs, RTA was keen to insert a clear provision in the contract signed with Serco Co., which is responsible for Dubai Metro Operation & Maintenance, underscoring the commitment to train and place UAE nationals such that Emiratization will reach 30-50% in the leadership and supervisory positions over the initial five years of the metro operation.
These include higher administrative posts as well as engineers & technicians who form the basis of the operation & maintenance process, besides other support services. Dubai Metro Emiratization plan is compatible with RTA Emiratization plan; which is in conformity with the policy of Dubai Government in Emiratization of leadership and specialist positions.
“The total number of Emiratis who will take up employment in various Dubai Metro jobs over the first five years is estimated in the contract with the Serco Co. as 583 employees; 71 of whom will assume leadership and higher administrative positions, 430 will be engineers in the field of health, safety, environment and quality as well as operation and maintenance fields, 74 as customer service employees, and 8 in support services posts such as human resources, marketing and finance.
“By the end of 2009, 218 Emiratis will be employed, 26 of whom in senior management positions, 8 in support services posts such as human resources, marketing and finance, 74 as front-end customer service employees, 110 engineers in HSEQ posts as well as operation and maintenance. 125 jobs will be provided for Emiratis in Dubai Metro in 2010; 15 in senior management positions, 110 engineers in HSEQ fields as well as operation and maintenance. Over the next three years (2011, 2012 and 2013) 240 Emiratis will be employed at a rate of 80 employees per annum, 30 of whom in senior management positions and 210 in HSEQ posts, as well as operation and maintenance.
“RTA is continually carrying out periodical audits to verify Serco’s commitment to implement the targeted Emiratization rates and attract new Emiratis in keeping with the provisions of the contract. The company was directed to restrict employment in the positions of judicial enforcement officers, front-end employees and conductors to Emiratis only. Interviews for considerable numbers of applicants have been carried out and some of them have joined their positions in the metro. They will be subjected to intensive 3-month courses to grasp all the requirements of customers, and learn about dealing and responding to customer inquiries. Last Sunday RTA launched an open career day for employment in Dubai Metro and about 200 applications have been received from applicants, and interviews will be conducted over the next week” added Al Tayer.
The Chairman of the Board summed up his remarks by stressing RTA efforts to attract the national competencies, attach them to training courses and dispatch them to conventions and local as well as international forums to upgrade their career levels and push them to keep up with the modernization drive, such that Emiratization will be an existing reality.
