Governments in developed countries are invested heavily in ensuring future skills needs are met for a modern economy. This is done commonly through policy, financing, and educational initiatives. In the case of UAE, it is all three. The government has passed various policies and strategic plans aimed at future skills development. The National Employment Strategy 2031 seeks to create a knowledge-based economy by promoting learning programs, attracting talent, and training future skills and skill development programs, as well as increasing labor participation in key markets such as energy, technology, communications, artificial intelligence, and others. The UAE also has concrete plans and strategies for long-term technology and infrastructure development, such as the Centennial Plan 2071, that will require a significant high-skill workforce, so it is in the interest of the government to pursue it.
Finally, the government either oversees or finances multiple national and targeted programs, especially aimed at youth or young professionals that aim to develop population capabilities in key sectors such as technology. Participants can gain skills and even gain accreditations and government support for future development. Overall, it is a comprehensive, targeted, and highly financed effort on behalf of the government to develop a future workforce of experts to grow its economy and national strategy.
Employers are also highly interested in ensuring that future skills of the workforce are met as it benefits them to find highly-skilled and specialized candidates for leading positions in their respective industries. Most commonly, employers understand the specific skill gaps that are present in their own respective organizations. Therefore, to address this, many companies have launched robust internal training and development programs to fit their needs. Employees are encouraged via wage raises to participate by mastering levels of skills development. Another means that is utilized funding an employee’s further education (i.e., graduate or doctorate level studies) under contractual obligation if there is significant potential for long-term investment in that individual.
Furthermore, employees seek to identify highly skilled candidates early on, so they may partner with schools and universities to form internships, apprenticeships, or even general skills programs within these educational institutions. By gaining professional experience and insights already during their studies, future professionals are better prepared for workforce integration into high-skilled professions. Finally, employers consistently communicate with the government and the educational sector to identify these gaps in skills among the workforce and share strategies regarding what future skills will be necessary. This helps to guide the policies or initiatives described earlier, which can train not just general STEM skills but targeted skills needed for these highly innovative sectors.
The UAE does not maintain independent trade unions. Some professional associates are allowed limited freedoms. These associations may offer some elements focused on talent and skill development for their members, particularly given the fact that they are highly specialized and relatively close circle. Another potential influential party is private or private-public partnerships with nonprofit organizations. For example, the Education for Employment (EFE) organization, in partnership with HSBC, has created a national future skills program aimed at providing training and work readiness for graduates or young professionals. There are multiple collaborations in the UAE technology and finance sectors between private-public entities or private nonprofits and firms to create high-skilled jobs and professionals.