Construction workers to be tested before arriving in UAE

A new pilot project has been launched to train and test the skills of 2,500 construction sector workers before they enter the UAE, according to the UAE Ministry of Labour.

Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Labour, said: “The project comes as a pursuit by the Ministry of Labour towards obtaining future labour market goals through cooperation and partnership with concerned government agencies and facilities from the private sector, as well as universities and research centres, to move towards the development of the national economy through cognitive development of the construction sector in the country to elevate the labourers and empower factors which increase their productivity and help them find decent work opportunities when they return home."

“The 2,500 workers will be recruited randomly from major labour-sending countries mainly India, Pakistan and the Philippines, to work for national enterprises in the construction sector. While they will be provided with professional training in their own countries, they will also be tested for qualifying expertise to fill certain occupations before arriving to the UAE, that of course will be in accordance with professional standards that have been developed by Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and the National Qualifications Authority,” said Ghobash.

"Participants involved in the project will also be tested during their stay in the country to document additional gained skills in their new workplace, to facilitate employment within national facilities with trained and qualified manpower, which will positively affect the national labour market and both sides of the production process,” he added.

The project will take about two years to conclude, where the Ministry of Labour through the project’s outcomes and recommendations will develop employment policies and freely move between job with flexibility, plus improve the skills list in the country which is part of the government's development vision in 2021.

The project went through collaboration between the Ministry of Labour and the National Qualifications Authority, the Federal Demographic Council and Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Zayed University and with the participation of several national and international institutions.

This came during a press conference which was held in the ministry’s office in Abu Dhabi on Sunday to announce the project’s framework in the presence of Mubarak Saeed Al Dhaheri, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Dr. Thani Al Muhairi, Director of the National Qualifications Authority and Dr. Omar Al Nuaimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Policy and Strategy at MoL, as well as several representatives from construction companies involved in the project.

Ghobash expressed his aspiration towards the project hoping that all labourers in the future would have their experiences and qualifications documented and recognized to fill the jobs, especially blue-collar ones.

The meeting witnessed the signing of the partnership agreements with contributing companies to the project, between Mubarak Al Dhaheri with representatives of those companies, Arabtec, Al Habtoor, ATI Asco and Ghantoot.

Researchers from Zayed University will follow the progress of the project and measure the impact and study its conclusions all through the support of the international organisations led by the World Bank and the International Labour Organisation and the International Migration Organisation.

It is planned that this project will be implemented by both the United Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait to be adopted as a regional initiative shared by the participating Ministers in the ministerial meeting of the Third Consultative path of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, which will be held in Kuwait on November 27, 2014.

Dr. Thani Al Muhairi, pointed out that the project is the first-of-its-kind globally in terms of the number of participant countries and international, regional and local institutions, explaining that the project is to complete activation of the national system of qualifications and a unification of the most common professions.

Dr. Omar al-Nuaimi stressed that this project aims at documenting labourer skills and experience gained during their employment period in the UAE to be able to help them get other jobs when they return to their home countries, according to specific criteria which will be included in agreement with the International Foundation that will develop these standards.

Representatives of the construction companies involved in the project have stressed the importance of the project, especially it will provide companies with skilled labourers, who are qualified enough to fill vacant occupations. They added such a move will cut basic training costs.
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.