On 01st June 2022, the largest industrial organisation in the UAE, excluding oil and gas, Emirate Global Aluminium, declared the return of the educational programme 'Engineer the Future' in partnership with Emirate Schools Establishment (ESE). This initiative will educate and instigate students in grades nine to twelve pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, called STEM. The subjects covered usually deal with the utilisation and discoveries in aluminium production methods following eco-friendly alternatives like recycling and low emission solutions.
‘Engineer the Future’ programme illustrates the fundamental science behind the aluminium industry to children operating under the UAE Centennial Plan 2017, which considers STEM skills to be of the highest value in a diversified, knowledge-based, competitive economy. Young inspiring minds specialised in STEM entering the industrial sector is very important for UAE’s operational 300 billion aiming at industrial growth.
Learned STEM specialists conduct most of these ‘Engineer the Future’ sessions featuring different classroom-oriented lectures and communicative workshops.
The Director-General of Emirates Schools Establishment, Her Excellency Dr Rabaa Al Sumaiti exclaimed: "ESE is keen to build bridges of cooperation with leading companies in various fields, in a way that contributes to the development and refinement of students' skills optimally. Training methodologies such as these will contribute to determining the trends of our students and their future educational options.”
Though 'Engineer the Future' remained withheld during the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme had continuously taken place from 2017 to 2018 with an everlasting impact on 16,000 UAE students.
EGA has conjoined with Emirates Schools Establishment on various activities over the last two years. They have supported the safe reopening of schools by supplying preventive equipment and safety awareness kits near the company’s Al Taweelah site during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Cooperation with Emirates Global Aluminium is in line with the educational institution’s priorities, which aim in its entirety to qualify students and provide them with all the elements of leadership growth and develop students’ interest and knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It is an integral part of our determination to close the skills gap between education and industry. ESE is committed to furthering the growth and development of the public education sector across the UAE and welcomes collaboration on programmes targeted at providing students with real-life application of knowledge that they gain in the classroom,” Her Excellency Dr Rabaa Al Sumaiti, added.
EGA primarily employs science, engineering, mathematics and technology scholars, with additional 1,500 people and 500 UAE nationals working at the EGA performing STEM-related duties.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, the Chief Executive Officer of EGA, remarked: “Engaging young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics studies and then careers is vital for the UAE’s industrial and economic future. ‘Engineer the Future’ is a significant contribution by EGA to this goal. I encourage schools across the UAE to take part in this programme, which I trust will now continue to inspire young people with knowledge about the contributions they can make to national development through work in STEM fields.”
Since its inception in 2019, the Ambassador Programme has inspired more than 13,000 UAE aspirants, supervised by young Emirati EGA engineers and professionals, who confer with students about the practical application of their studies in the metal industry. EGA also organises a STEM outreach programme with the aid of UAE schools and universities.
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