Tawdheef x Zaheb, one of the biggest events in the UAE’s Emiratisation calendar, will be inaugurated in the presence and under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, on 14th November, 2022, running until 16th November at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).
This year marks the 16th edition of this free-to-attend event for Emirati nationals.
As the UAE’s leading platform for Emiratisation, the exhibition is sought after by young Emiratis seeking to learn about emerging careers, interact with business leaders and officials, and network with potential employers. This year, the event is being launched under a new identity, Tawdheef x Zaheb, suitably revamped to cater to the needs and aspirations of young Emiratis and the ever-changing demands of employers. This new form focuses on empowering and enabling young Emiratis and potential employers to take advantage of the UAE government’s enhanced Emiratisation policies.
A series of micro-events and interactive and immersive sessions at the event will allow freshers to gain valuable experience from seniors while showcasing their abilities and talents. The Empowerment Stage, which hosts a variety of career advancement programmes, is expected to be a big draw at Tawdheef x Zaheb. Themes listed for this year range from developing future competency skills to understanding the role of innovation in shaping the UAE’s knowledge economy, from the use of artificial intelligence in accelerating career preparedness to identifying ways in which the youth can play a leading role in building a sustainable future. In addition, Tawdheef x Zaheb will also host Career Preparedness Workshops focused on specific and popular topics such as CV writing, facing interviews and networking.
The organisers have taken special care to ensure that the event is People-of-Determination friendly to give them equal access to emerging careers and opportunities. To this end, the organisers have partnered with ImInclusive to better serve the needs of People of Determination, including three jointly hosted sessions at The Empowerment Stage and workshops.
The growing popularity of Tawdheef x Zaheb among aspiring young Emiratis has drawn some of the most prominent organisations in the region to the event. These include such reputed organisations as the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Central Bank of the UAE, the UAE Ministry of Interior, New York University Abu Dhabi, Etisalat, Schlumberger, TASC, Al Masaood, Executive Source, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), Al Ain University, GEMS Education and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which is also the official consulting partner for the event.
Khaled Bin Braik, who is leading the drive for Emiratisation among global firms in the UAE through the PwC’s Watani programme, said, “As a global firm playing a key role in driving nationalisation in the UAE, PwC sees Tawdheef x Zaheb as an unmissable opportunity for businesses to support Emirati talent. We are proud to bring our expertise gained in over 155 countries to nurture and inspire a new generation of Emirati business leaders.”
Anirudhe Ghosh, Senior Vice President – HR Operations & Corporate Services of TASC, a long-time exhibitor, had a similar take, saying, “UAE’s Vision 2030 and Tawdheef x Zaheb will truly unlock the potential of the nation’s human resources. This will not only impact the short term positively but will also help build a long-term progressive economy for the UAE. We at TASC work closely with many young nationals to help launch their careers via this event.”
Fadi Harb, Event Manager of Informa Middle East, the promoter of Tawdheef x Zaheb, echoed these sentiments, saying, “The youth form more than one-third of the UAE’s population, and today they are an ambitious and well-informed lot. In its new avatar, Tawdheef x Zaheb will not only power Emirati careers but will help mould a new generation of leaders, ready to transform the nation in line with the UAE’s vision of a knowledge-based economy of the future run by a highly skilled, highly productive workforce.”
He further added, “For bright young Emiratis, the event is a unique opportunity to network, enhance professional skills, improve career prospects, and explore the latest trends in jobs and industries, and thereby keep themselves future-ready in a rapidly changing world. They will get to engage with top employers while getting themselves a flavour of the UAE’s business culture.”
In Harb’s view, Tawdheef x Zaheb is ideally suited for organisations seeking to achieve their Emiratisation goals as decreed in the official mandates, where they can readily tap into a highly qualified pool of Emirati talent.