Etihad To Employ More Than 6,000 Emiratis By 2020

Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways has announced it will employ more than 6,000 Emiratis over the next five years as part of its UAE national developmental strategy.

The UAE flag carrier said that it will continue to utilise its partnerships with various government institutions to employ more nationals.

The airline is currently collaborating with the Absher initiative, which was conceived by the UAE president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to create more jobs for skilled Emiratis.

In 2012, Etihad Airways signed a deal with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs to recruit 1,500 UAE nationals to its global team over the following five years. The airline said it has hired over more than 900 Emiratis to date as part of the initiative.

Etihad Airways also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Abu Dhabi Tatween Council to help recruit locals and has inked deals with educational institutions to hire top national talent.

Other initiatives include the sponsorship of students studying abroad as part of an MOU with the the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and collaborations with Abu Dhabi University, the Higher Colleges of Technology and Al Ain International Aviation Academy to help trainees and cadets obtain degrees and licenses in aviation science and engineering.

“Collaborations and partnerships with national educational institutions in the UAE continue to play an important part in our efforts at recruiting, retaining and developing our UAE national workforce,” said Ray Gammell, Etihad Airways’ chief people and performance officer.

“As a result, UAE nationals are now the number one nationality group in the airline as well as the number one nationality group at our manager and higher management levels.”

More than 190 nationals work with Etihad Airways in locations across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Many Emiratis have also been placed on the carrier’s partner airlines.