Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that the percentage of Emiratisation at DEWA has reached 87.9% in the senior management and 70.9% in the middle management, emphasising that it is on the right track to attracting national competencies and increasing Emirati employees. This is in line with DEWA’s efforts to consolidate its position as a leading national organisation aware of its responsibility for achieving the Emiratisation objectives.
The number of Emirati employees at DEWA has reached 3,614 males and females in various positions, including 2,200 employees in technical positions; 574 of them being female engineers. Emirati women form 84% of DEWA’s workforce, and 85.5% in the engineering sector.
“DEWA prioritises attracting and empowering talented and competent Emiratis. It is keen to enhance the national human development system to boost its productivity and efficiency and increase its participation in the strategic economic and vital sectors. This is in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We provide Emirati employees with the tools of the future to keep pace with the latest development and prepare for current and future challenges. At DEWA, we believe that our Emirati employees are the pillar of our success in continuing our journey of global excellence and leadership. This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of Dubai’s total power production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. DEWA is committed to promoting Emiratisation in its various divisions. It adopts an integrated strategy to support and prepare UAE nationals to fill all engineering, technical and administrative jobs at DEWA. DEWA continues to attract citizens who are experienced or new graduates. This supports DEWA’s strategy to prepare young citizens to assume leadership in the energy and water sectors, as well as provide quality jobs that are in the interest of the country and its citizens,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Investing in national talents
DEWA works to refine and invest in national talents by providing training programmes and educational opportunities.
DEWA’s R&D Centre
DEWA’s Research and Development (R&D) Centre hosts a group of the best Emirati calibre, comprising 52 researchers, including 31 PhD and master’s degree holders. The Emiratisation rate at the Centre has reached 71.15%, while the percentage of Emirati female employees has reached 19, including some with high academic qualifications in the scientific and engineering fields.
DEWA’s Innovation Centre
Some of the best young Emirati talents work at DEWA’s Innovation Centre, with a 77% Emiratisation rate. The Centre includes Emirati competencies who hold PhDs and master’s degrees, in addition to high scientific qualifications in the scientific and engineering fields. The Centre is the first and largest government centre to receive the “Done by Youth” seal from the Federal Youth Authority. Several employees have won prestigious local and international awards, including the Dubai Medal for Specialised Employee and the Dubai Medal for Young Employee at the Dubai Government Excellence Awards.
Cleantech Youth programme
The Innovation Centre launched the Cleantech Youth programme to attract talented young energy leaders from different sectors and expand their technical and scientific knowledge in clean and renewable energy and entrepreneurship. So far, the programme has launched three batches. The third batch attracted 25 fresh graduates or undergraduates from 30 accredited universities in the UAE studying in 15 different areas. Over the past two batches, the programme has graduated 50 youth leaders from universities across the UAE, who presented innovative projects in clean energy and sustainability.
DEWA Academy
DEWA launched DEWA Academy in 2013, in cooperation with the British Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC), to prepare a new generation of citizens who are aware of the importance of professional work and realise the nation’s interest by enrolling in leading scientific and vocational educational programmes that enhance the UAE’s efforts to localise technical jobs in the energy and water sectors. Since its establishment, the Academy has received 534 students, and 351 graduates are now working in the energy distribution division; the energy and water generation division, the power transmission division, and the water and civil division at DEWA.
“DEWA is one of the largest government organisations in the UAE that is keen on recruiting, qualifying, and developing national calibre,” said Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA.
