The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis) today launched the In Country Value (ICV) Apprentice Program. Part of the Nafis ‘Khebra’ program, the initiative aims to enhance the technical and digital capabilities of local talents across a range of specializations.
The ICV Apprentice Program supports the objectives of National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and Nafis to empower Emirati talent and develop their skills across different sectors. The ICV Apprentice Program, in its initial phase, will prepare 50 national talents for success in the UAE job market. As an initiative of the National ICV Program, the ICV Apprentice Program aligns with MoIAT’s efforts to create a self sufficient industrial sector.
HE Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of MoIAT and Chairman of the National Committee for the In-Country Value Program said: “Enhancing the capabilities of local talent in the private sector is among the key pillars of the UAE’s sustainable development trajectory. The program, which falls under Nafis’ Khebra initiative, will provide Emirati undergraduates with training opportunities in ICV certification and financial auditing.”
His Excellency added: “MoIAT aims to collaborate with strategic partners and certifying bodies to empower and equip UAE talent with the skills required to thrive in the job market. The ICV Apprentice Program is an extension of training and development initiatives that support Emiratization under the National ICV Program.”
HE noted that National ICV Program is one of the key strategic pillars of Operation 300bn to advance the UAE’s industrial sector, as well as promote the growth and sustainability of local supply chains. It also creates high-quality job opportunities and provides incentives for advanced technology adoption.
HE indicated that the program contributed to redirecting more than AED 53 billion into the national economy in 2022, an increase of 25 percent compared to 2021. As of the second quarter of 2023, there were 13,440 Emiratis employed by ICV-certified companies in private sector. Additionally, he highlighted that the recently announced Industrialists Program by MoIAT, in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratization and Nafis, offers 500 training and job opportunities for UAE nationals. The program is specifically designed to empower Emirati talent by providing them with essential skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the industrial sector.
HE Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the UAE Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis) stressed the importance of the Apprentice Program, praising the collaboration with MoIAT and the private sector. His Excellency emphasized the need for experienced Emirati talent in the UAE job market specializing in the ICV Program to ensure compliance with certification standards among companies through audits and assessments.
HE added that the Nafis program comprises financial and technical initiatives that support Emiratization in the private sector. These initiatives include Khebra, which focuses on training and upskilling local talent, and will see MoIAT, the Council and certifying bodies enhance the competencies and technical capabilities of Emiratis relating to ICV certification.
The ICV Apprentice Program, aimed at undergraduates, will provide participants with an intensive three-month training program with the 25 ICV certifying bodies. The participants will also receive monthly stipends from Nafis during the training program.
MoIAT launched the National ICV Program as part of “Projects of the 50”. The program contributes to national GDP growth, localizes supply chains, and encourages public entities and major companies to support local industries, redirecting spending to the UAE economy. ICV-certified companies gain a competitive advantage in procurement processes, which promotes business growth.
About the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) was established in July 2020 to boost the industrial sector’s contribution to the UAE’s GDP and drive sustainable industrial development. The ministry was formed by combining the Office of the Minister of State for Advanced Technology, the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA), and the industrial department of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.
MoIAT is responsible for formulating policies, laws, and programs that attract foreign direct investment, enhance national added value, support entrepreneurship, create jobs, attract talents, upskill national cadres, promote exports and raise the competitiveness of products manufactured in the UAE. To achieve these objectives, MoIAT has created an advanced national quality infrastructure system.
MoIAT leverages its expertise, capabilities, and resources to strengthen the national industrial ecosystem by facilitating the establishment of industrial zones, promoting the adoption of advanced technologies and the integration of Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions and enabling the growth of priority sectors as well as industries of the future. The ministry’s work contributes to national efforts to build a diversified, knowledge-based economy and achieve industrial self-sufficiency.
The ministry is a key driver of the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and is playing an important role in the country’s COP28 agenda.
