Building National Competencies نبني المهارات الوطنية Vocational Education in the UAE: Challenges, Opportunities & Strategies Skills for Employability Advisory

Building National Competencies الوطنية المهارات نبني

Vocational Education in the UAE:

Challenges, Opportunities & Strategies

Skills for Employability Advisory Group Meeting

Dr. Naji Al MahdiExecutive Director

National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE)October 2009

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• The National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE) is an initiative of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) of Dubai.

• NIVE aims to provide flexible, high quality, world-class vocational education, benchmarked against professional standards that meets the current and future needs of stakeholders, government, the community, employers and individuals in the UAE and the Gulf region.

The National Institute of Vocational Education (NIVE)

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• NIVE is a co-ed institution that provides education for all including students with special needs

• NIVE is currently accredited by BTEC and offers FD, ND and HND programmes in Business, Banking, IT, Health and Safety, and Jewellery Business Management.

• NIVE operates on a demand led business model where programmes are negotiated with sponsors from government, business and industry. The majority of students are recruited into organisations before the start of their programmes.

The National Institute of Vocational Education (NIVE)

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• Dubai Strategic Plan 2015• KHDA Strategic Plan• Needs of Business and Industry• Aspiration of Students• The Education Sector

NIVE Drivers

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• In Dubai’s Strategic Plan GDP is forecast to grow at 11% annually to 2015

• Post 2015 growth is projected to be led by the service sector

Other

RealEstate

Finance

Transport &Communcation

Construction

Manufacturing

Retail& Tourism

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

AED142BAED157B

AED174BAED194B

AED215B

AED238B

AED264B

AED293B

AED325B

AED361B

AED401B

AED436B

AED474B

AED516B

AED561B

AED610B

AED0B

AED100B

AED200B

AED300B

AED400B

AED500B

AED600B

AED650B

GD

P (B

illio

ns)

11%('07 - '15)

CAGR

11%

8%

12%

12%

16%

12%

7%

8.8%('15 - '20)

CAGR

8%

5%

8%

9%

14%

10%

5%

Note:Source: Dubai Statistical Centre Annual Yearbook, 2005

GDP Growth by Industry, (’05 – ’20)

Dubai Economic Position & Projections

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Emirati

WhiteCollar

BlueCollar

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

1,372K1,459K

1,554K1,656K

1,765K1,883K

1,989K2,102K

2,222K2,350K

2,486K2,586K

2,691K2,801K

2,915K3,035K

0K

1,000K

2,000K

3,000K3,100K

Popu

lati

on (

'000

s)

5.4%('05 - '20)

CAGR

5.6%

6.7%

2.2%

Note: Source: Dubai Statistics Centre, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Parthenon analysis

• Population is projected to more than double by 2020

• The white collar segment is projected to grow at ~7%

Population Growth by Type, (’05 – ’20)

Dubai Demographics Population Projections

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Note: Industry growth rates pegged based on Dubai Strategy Document. Growth biased towards service sector post 2010. Growth accounts for both blue collar as well as white collar workers.Source: Dubai Statistics Centre, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Parthenon analysis

Workforce Growth by Industry, (’05 – ’20)

• The workforce is set to more that double by 2020

• The highest growth rates are projected in service sectors such as Finance and Real Estate

OtherFinanceHotels &RestaurantsReal Estate

Housemaids


Trading&RepairingServices

Construction

2005 Construction Trading &RepairingServices


Housemaids Real Estate,Renting

& BusinessServices

Hotels &Restaurants

Finance Other 2020F

944K

564K

207K133K 10K

78K83K 44K 52K 2,115K

0K

500K

1,000K

1,500K

2,000K

2,200K

% Manpowerincrease 140% 128% 162% 17% 157% 175% 367% 40%

5.5%('05 - '20)

CAGR

6%

6%

7%

1%7%7%

11%2%

Workforce Growth Industry Manpower Projections

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Emirati

Expat

Emirati Graduates('05 - '20)

ExpatsRequired('05 - '20)

Knowledgeworkersin 2020

CurrentKnowledge Workers

Emirati Graduates Expats Required Total requirementat 2020

110K

25K

118K 254K

0K

50K

100K

150K

200K

250K

300K

• At current tertiary level enrollment rates 25K Emirati students will enter the workforce as skilled white collar workers by 2020• There is a forecasted shortage of 118K white collar workers which will have to be filled by expatriates

Note: Emirati tertiary enrolment ratio taken to be 40%, tertiary enrolment age accounted between 20 and 24, inclusive. Current estimates of Knowledge workers includes UAE Nationals employed by the governmentSource: Dubai Statistics Centre, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, UNESCO institute for statistics, Parthenon analysis

White Collar Workers – Supply and Demand, (’05 – ’20)

Knowledge Workforce Supply and Demand


Labour Market Challenges in the UAE

Issues Challenges

Arabic Language Often incompatible with labour market needs.

Large Youth Population Pressure on education and labour market for first time job seekers.

Education Systems Not outcome-based, lacks benchmarking and progression paths.

Large Government Sector offering more benefits

More pressure for government or semi-government jobs and little focus on private sector and entrepreneurial activities.

Duality of Labour Law Offering more benefits in certain sectors.

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Labour Market Challenges in the UAE

Issues Challenges

Youth Unemployment Not enough suitable jobs being created at the lower level and education is not enough for high added value jobs.

Low Female Participation Fewer female employment opportunities and education not geared to job opportunities available.

Expatriate Workforce Large numbers of highly educated expatriate workforce available at lower wages.

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Challenges to developing Quality VE in UAE

Issues Challenges

Negative branding perceived as manual labour, as last resort for low achievers as “cul de sac” with no progression

Outside mainstream education

Sets outside the academic systemDetached from business and industryFragmented (in-company, school level, tertiary level, professional development)Poorly funded

Outdated focuses on old skills and technologiesSupply oriented Misinterpreted in business context

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Challenges to developing Quality VE in UAE

Issue Challenge

Unknown Standards Lack of benchmarkingNot recognised by HELack of vocational qualification framework Limited examples of good vocational educationNot linked to practices in business and industry

Limited Limited in rangeMostly for males

Weak Quality Culture System attitude towards qualityIntrusive nature of quality

Poorly Rewarded Graduates

Low paid graduateLower status graduates

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Opportunities for developing quality VE in UAE

Issue Challenge

Applying a Quality Model Vocational frameworkLinkages with jobs and employersClear specification of curriculaTransparent quality assurance systemBenchmarking

Re-branding VE Integrating VE with HEImproving rewards and status of graduatesOffering international scholarships to VE graduatesPartnering with major employers (including government)National campaigning

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Issue Challenge

Extending the Range and Levels of VE

Offering multi-level programmesOffering programmes across the range of vocation

Improving the Intake of VE Greater selectivity of studentsOffering career guidancePartnering with schools

Improving Enabling Inputs Teaching and learning (Learning time, Teaching methods, Assessment, feedback, incentives)Teaching and learning materialsPhysical infrastructure and facilitiesHuman resources ( teachers, principals, verifiers, supervisors and administrators)Institutional governance

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Issue Challenge

Improving Graduates’ Characteristics

AttributesAttitudeBehaviourKnowledge of subjectKnowledge of industrySoft skillsJob specific skillsWork experience

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Employee Characteristics most difficult to find

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Employee characteristics to develop most in the next 5 years by country (%)

Total IndiaSouth Africa

China UAE Brazil

Base : All Recruitment 194 41 40 31 41 41

Creativity/innovation 43 46 30 42 46 49

Professional qualifications 42 39 48 52 32 44

Ability to work in a team 39 51 28 39 39 39

Leadership skills 38 54 28 45 20 44

Relevant previous experience 31 29 38 48 32 15

Multi-tasking 31 44 28 19 39 22

Academic qualifications 30 32 43 13 24 34

An ability to learn and develop 29 34 28 32 24 27

Commitment to the role 29 37 28 29 22 29

Hard working 28 32 28 29 24 29

Staff management skills 28 34 35 23 24 24

Client management skills 27 32 15 35 20 37

Integrity/honesty 26 29 20 35 12 34

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Strategies

• Re-inventing the educational system• Alignment of education with future goals and strategies• Integration of the whole educational structure• Provision of labour market information system• Utilisation of international best practice• Attracting and retaining highly skilled employees• Invigoration of the role of business and industry• Creation of quality assurance and vocational framework

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Strategies

• Re-inventing the educational system• Aligning education with future goals and strategies• Integrating the whole educational structure• Creating a labour market information system• Utilising international best practice• Attracting and retaining highly skilled employees• Enhancing the role of business and industry• Creating quality assurance and vocational framework

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Strategies


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Strategies


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Thank You

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Documents

Building National Competencies نبني المهارات الوطنية Vocational Education in the UAE: Challenges, Opportunities & Strategies Skills for Employability Advisory