Gargash Group, one of the leading business conglomerates in the UAE, announced a strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute (ADVETI),  signalling a fresh set of commitments to develop local talent. 

This initiative ties into the Group’s commitment that aligns with the UAE government’s vision to empower Emiratis to join and explore meaningful careers in the private sector and is a step forward in of cross-sector collaborations between leading industrial entities and vocational education institutions.

Shehab Gargash, Managing Director and Group CEO of Gargash Group and Dr. Abdul Rahman Jassim Al Hammadi, Director General Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute signed the Memorandum of Understanding at an event held at Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre. Under the terms of the agreement, both parties will work closely to support Emiratis within the ADVETI network by offering them learning opportunities through training and development programs to secure jobs in the automotive sector.

The partnership, which is part of iStar Technical Apprenticeship Program, Gargash’s program for UAE Nationals, will span over a stretch of nine months and has onboarded 18 trainees so far.  Shortlisted candidates were provided with professional training to develop critical career skills, wherein 75 per cent of the training program will be spent developing technical know-how, industry knowledge and interactions with the wider Gargash team to become well-versed with automobile processes and in-house operations. The remaining 25 per cent will be devoted to acquiring functional skills such as leadership and personality building workshops with ADVETI. At the end of the training period, trainees will undergo a a comprehensive theoretical and practical examination and successful candidates will secure full-time jobs at Gargash Group in tandem with their career aspirations.

Commenting on the partnership, Shehab Gargash, said: “People are undoubtedly the foundation on which any organization is built. In recognizing this, we are pleased to partner with ADVETI and accelerate our human resource strategy to include bright, young minds in our journey to success. At Gargash Group, we’ve been passionately supporting the Emiratization vision of our government and will continue to do so now and in the future.” 

For his part, Dr. Abdul Rahman Jassim Al Hammadi, said: “Our strategy aims to enhance the role of technical and vocational training to ensure that newer generations of Emiratis are qualified to perform in specialized jobs and provide innovative and world-class services. In this context, the MoU is an important step and a positive model for cooperation between leading industrial entities and vocational education institutions.'

He added: 'Through this partnership, we collectively seek to enhance national capabilities and offer new opportunities for Emirati youth to find their rightful place and pursue their future with passion. Moreover, we seek to develop the human resources quotient of the country and support the UAE government's vision to build a knowledge-based economy.'

Aisha, Group Chief Human Resources Officer of Gargash Group, said: “We have a solid automotive sector here in the UAE that is in need of talent that is knowledgeable and skilled. By giving UAE Nationals a platform to discover careers in this sector, we at Gargash, see a real opportunity to deliver a professional experience like no other. With partners like ADVETI, we are a step closer to our goal to enable and empower local talent and we look forward to making a difference for the better.”

So far, two editions in total of the iStar Technical Apprenticeship Program are ongoing successfully. With this partnership getting successfully underway , Gargash Group is looking forward to building partnerships with other like-minded entities and expand its renowned iStar Technical Apprenticeship Program to attract more local talent to boost their people power strategy, who will make a deep impact on the UAE’s growth story.