Event is featuring more than 65 banks and other financial institutions
His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the 9th National Career Exhibition at Expo Centre Sharjah on Monday, March 5, 2007.
The four-day event annual event is being held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, and is being organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Human Resources Development Committee in the Banking sector, and Emirates Institute for the banking and Financial Studies.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Al Qassimi - Chairman of Sharjah Emiri Court, Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdullah Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ports Authority, Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al Qassimi, Mr. Ahmad Humaid Al Tayer - Chairman of the Human Resource Development Committee for the Banking sector, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa - Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI), Mr. Mohammed Salem Al Mosharrekh - Board Member (SCCI), Mr. Saif Al Midfa - Director General of Expo Centre Sharjah, directors of various government departments, and members of the diplomatic corps and trade associations.
"Over the years, NCE has established itself as the UAE's premier platform for recruiting nationals for the banking and financial sector," said Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
"The NCE has been experiencing continuous growth since its inception. This is a reflection of the confidence that the country's banking and financial institutions repose on the event for selecting the best of the national talent. Continuing on the trend of unremitting growth, this year's NCE is bigger in terms of both exhibitors and occupied exhibition space as compared to the last edition," he added.
This year's NCE occupies a total exhibition area of 2,400 sq. m. translating in to an increase of 41% over last year. A total of 65 exhibitors including 28 new ones are being hosted at the event.
Among the major banks participating in the coming edition of the NCE are Dubai Islamic Bank - Dubai, Dubai Bank, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah, Union National Bank - Abu Dhabi, Arab Bank for Investment & Foreign Trade - Dubai, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Standard Chartered Bank - Dubai, Central Bank of the UAE - Abu Dhabi, HSBC Bank Middle East, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, National Bank of Dubai - Dubai, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates Islamic Bank, Commercial Bank International - Dubai, Bank of Sharjah Ltd. - Sharjah, Barclays Bank plc - Dubai, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Emirates Bank International, Citibank - Dubai, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Mashreq Bank - (head office), United Arab Bank, and Invest Bank.
Besides banks, the exhibition is also featuring a host of UAE-based Universities and Colleges, Free Zones, and several government departments.
The opening ceremony was followed by a function where His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi granted awards to banks, insurance companies, money exchanges and other financial institutions in the country for excelling in national human resource development.
The banking sector in the UAE is aiming for 40 per cent Emiratisation by the end of 2007 as per the target set by the Human Resources Development Committee for the Financial Sector. The Government has made it mandatory for all banks operating in the country to increase their national workforce by 4 per cent annually.
In the first half of 2006, 29 per cent of the total workforce in the banking sector were UAE nationals.
Ever since the introduction of emiratisation programme, the number of UAE nationals increased by 444 per cent from 1278 employees in 1997 to 6957 in 2005. In the first half of 2006, the number reached 7,387 out of total 25,556 employees in the sector.
As far as the insurance sector is concerned, there were 45 insurance companies operating in the UAE in the first half of 2006.
In 2004, out of the 3,389 people employed in the sector only 5.3 per cent (179) were UAE nationals. In 2005, the share of emiratis increased to 6.1 per cent. In the first half of 2006, the number reached 283 translating in to 7.84% out of total 3,610 employees in the sector.
Besides increasing national workforce in banks and insurance companies, efforts are also being made to increase the number of emirati employees in money exchanges and other financial institutions.
"With the tempo of emiratisation increasing in the country's banking and financial sector, the demand for nationals with the right qualifications have soared," said Mr. Saif Al Midfa, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.
"Whereas for banks and financial institutions this means spotting and recruiting nationals with the right qualifications and experience, for the country's national youth it means availability of a plethora of opportunities. The National Career Exhibition is a meeting ground for the two parties. The event is committed to helping the country's banks and other financial institutions meet their emiratisation target with the best of national talent," he added.
Like in all previous editions, this year's NCE too will be attracting national students from schools and universities across the country, especially those interested in a career in the banking and financial sector.
The NCE in 2006 attracted over 7,900 visitors.
The NCE will be open daily from 9 am to 1 pm and from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm. It will be open exclusively for ladies on March 6th from 9 am to 1 pm.
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© Press Release 2007
