By Mohammed Al Munji www.dubaicityguide.com
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has recently opened Rail Agency and Serco (The Metro Operator) Knowledge Transfer Program; which runs through December 2011.
The Program aims at qualifying and training administrative & technical Emirati leaders at the Rail Agency with the aim of improving their competencies in operating and maintaining the Dubai Metro and ensuring the transfer of such knowledge & expertise to future generations of employees.
Addressing the program launch ceremony held at RTA Auditorium in the presence of several RTA CEOs and Directors, Al Tayer said: “RTA is not only about constructing roads, bridges, transport means and intelligent traffic systems, but also grooms & qualifies human resources to assume leadership responsibilities.
“The Knowledge Transfer Program comprises three phases where six senior officials of Serco Co., the operator of Dubai Metro, will in the initial stage provide mentoring to 6 Rail Agency Directors and Managers to help them improve their professional competencies. In the second phase Serco experts will conduct a number of regular masterclasses on precise technical topics for a select group of Rail Agency employees. The objective of this program is to transfer the knowledge of Serco experts to Emiratis at the Rail Agency about technical disciplines relating to the operation, management and maintenance of the Dubai Metro. In phase three of the Program, 12 Rail Agency engineers who have joined RTA recently will be shadowing Serco employees to acquire and develop the skills and expertise of operating and maintaining the Dubai Metro.
“This program comes in the context of RTA commitment towards grooming Emiratis to manage and operate the Dubai Metro as the contract made with Serco Co. provides for creating jobs for citizens and training to attain a 30 to 50 per cent Emiratization of the leadership and supervisory jobs during the first five years from the start of the metro operation. Such jobs include senior management positions as well as engineers & technicians, who are the backbone of any operation and maintenance process, and other support jobs. The Emiratization plan of Dubai Metro is in line with RTA Emiratization plan; which is aligned with the policy of Dubai Government towards Emiratization of leadership and specialist jobs.
The Knowledge Transfer Program complements the step taken by the RTA encapsulated in the launch of Qiyadi program; which is run by the RTA in cooperation with Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Leadership Development, continues for two years and involves the participation of 40 Emirati Directors & Managers hailing from various RTA agencies & sectors. The Program aims to promote the abilities and skills of RTA leaders and groom them to be able and ready to assume the roles & responsibilities of higher job grades. RTA has also embarked on a training program to improve the individual performance of RTA directors. This program, which runs for about one year, aims to qualify 140 RTA directors & managers through subjecting them to 16 courses & programs organized and delivered by hand-picked international experts to run the program.
“The training programs undertaken by the RTA stem from its keenness to be the first career choice of qualified human resources through raising the competitive edge in attracting highly competent experts, building a universal employees motivation & retention system and attending to promoting the scientific & and practical skills of employees. RTA is nurturing a suitable environment for job progression, and empowering young Emirati leaders to take up key leadership positions that contribute to the realization of RTA ambitious and strategic vision” said Al Tayer.
“Work in the government sector warrants us to redouble our efforts in order to improve productivity and enhance the teamwork spirit in order to overcome the challenges encountered and realize RTA objectives. There is a pressing need for changing the work culture and concentrating on training, qualification and stick to science and development drive, but in order for this change to be effective, it has to originate from employees themselves,” said the Chairman and Executive Director of the RTA.
