Dubai - MENA Herald: As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) seeks to build a knowledge-based economy, equipping youth with vocational skills is one of the country’s focus areas. Building on these efforts, His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul, the UAE’s Minister of State for Higher Education, visited Berlin to gain insight into Germany’s education system and Siemens’ vocational training efforts.
“Vocational training is a unique opportunity for global companies such as Siemens to develop programs that will equip students with the right skills and experience to secure meaningful employment opportunities. As the global economy continues to become more industry-based, especially with the onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there is a growing recognition about the need and value of this higher education path,” noted His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul. “I am grateful to Siemens for their steadfast partnership and the opportunity to learn more about their efforts in this space.”
The Minister met a number of officials and Siemens’ executives in Germany’s capital city. Janina Kugel, Chief Human Resources Officer and Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, delivered the welcome note and emphasized the strong partnership between Siemens and the ministry. His Excellency received an overview of the German Dual-Study Education System and the Siemens Professional Education (SPE) and was introduced to the company’s PLM Software. He also met with Arab speaking interns who shared their experiences.
Last year, Siemens signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education to further the country’s goal of creating a knowledge-based economy. The agreement builds on the company’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s sustainable future development through the transfer of knowledge and expertise to students and young professionals in the UAE. In March 2017, Siemens went on to announce an in-kind software grant of up to 100 million euros to select UAE universities. The grant will see the company’s Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and MindSphere software used for academic and institutional purposes to develop the skills required to drive the country’s digital transformation.
“We share your vision of developing a highly-skilled, productive workforce. As a company, we see this as a responsibility that we take very seriously, and literally,” said Kugel. “We in Siemens want to make real what matters. This includes developing people so that they can create products that matter, products that last, products that make an economy leading and products that make our world a better place.”
Siemens in the UAE enables almost 16,000 jobs and directly employs 2,600 people. The company continuously supports local skills development through internships and vocational training programs in the country. The company believes youth development and education are key to the Middle East’s economic prosperity and social stability.
Other officials and executives attending the visit included H.E. Ali Abdulla Al Ahmad, the UAE’s Ambassador to Germany; and Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO of Siemens Middle East and UAE; among others.