ADSIC and Microsoft join hands to drive Emirati employability

Microsoft will provide training to 50 young UAE nationals, preparing them with the skills necessary for employment in the private sector, as part of Microsoft’s youth-centred citizenship program

8 November 2015 – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC) has partnered with Microsoft to impart employability skills to 50 UAE nationals as part of its support for the UAE government’s vision to boost citizens’ skills, and enhance their job readiness for work in the private sector. 

Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ADSIC during GITEX 2015 Technology Week through which Microsoft will train the UAE interns for three months and prepare them for the world of employment.

After the training period, the top-performing interns will be invited to apply for the Microsoft Academic for College Hire (MACH) program, an annual program that aims to hire university graduates into full-time positions.

Samer Abu-Ltaif, Regional General Manager – Gulf at Microsoft said, “At Microsoft, we believe that building human capacity is central to sustaining economies around the world. With more than 28 per cent of the population in the Middle East aged between 15 and 291, the potential of this generation can be harnessed by empowering all young people with the necessary entrepreneurial skills that will guarantee them a better quality of life in future. Our collaboration with ADSIC is a significant step toward this, as it provides young UAE nationals with skills that are in line with current market trends, as well as giving them the competence to become self-employed.”

His Excellency Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, Director General at ADSIC said, “ADSIC continually seeks to partner with world-class corporations in our efforts to support a highly empowered, knowledge-based economy. We view training and equipping Emirati youth with the necessary knowledge and skill sets that will enable them to excel in the exciting field of ICT, as a key step towards achieving this objective.”

Al Mansoori added we are confident that Microsoft’s experiences in training young UAE nationals will deliver the desired results, bridging the skills gap fresh graduates often face when entering employment, especially in the private sector, while working closely with them to engage with academic and government institutions across Abu Dhabi and promote the visibility of the initiative through our channels.”

This collaboration will see Microsoft recruit 50 UAE nationals from universities in Abu Dhabi through its annual Microsoft’s Developer Experience, which targets science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students. Microsoft and ADSIC will then work together to handpick a shortlist of the best candidates through a series of interviews. During the three month training period, Microsoft will provide tailored job-shadowing placements for the interns in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

ADSIC will continuously support Microsoft in working with the universities to ensure that the internship program counts as course credits for the students. It will also work with Microsoft to facilitate university tours in Abu Dhabi. As well as raising awareness about the internship program among students and universities, ADSIC will promote the scheme to the academic network in Abu Dhabi, and to all government entities, through digital marketing.

Upon graduation, Microsoft will share the CVs of successful interns within its wide network of partners, with the aim of boosting the number of UAE nationals employed in the private sector. Microsoft itself will also offer full-time employment opportunities to interns who have successfully completed its application and interview process, and have met the company’s global recruitment requirements.