“Nafis” supports “private” with 136 thousand citizens in 4 years… and experts: an experience worth extending

“NAFES,” the pioneering national program launched by the UAE government in September 2021 as part of the second package of the “50 Projects” and scheduled to end in 2026, is close to achieving double its goals, as the number of citizens who have joined the private sector since the launch of the program has reached 136,000 citizens, while the program was aiming to hire 75,000 within five years, while the number of establishments that have employed citizens has risen to about 30,000 establishments.

The rate of increase of citizens working in the private sector reached about 755.5% in just four years, as the number rose from 18,000 before the launch of the program to 154,000 currently, according to the latest statistics of the Emirates Competitiveness Council, thanks to the support and incentives provided by the program, which reflects its great impact in enhancing the work culture in the private sector.

Citizens and human resources experts confirmed that “NAFES” represented a turning point in the path of employment in the private sector, as it contributed to changing young people’s thinking towards this sector, and made them more willing to engage in it thanks to the material and moral support it provides, in addition to the training and rehabilitation programs that helped develop their skills and hone their practical experience.

They called for extending the “NAFES” program in the coming years, because of its direct impact in supporting their family and career stability in the private sector and motivating more national cadres to join it, stressing that the support provided by the wise leadership through the program represents a unique model in empowering Emirati youth and achieving their professional ambitions, and reflects the state’s keenness to invest in youth as it is the main driver of sustainable development and the future economy.

In detail, citizen Mayed Tariq, who works in the private education sector, said that the “Nafis” program was the primary motivator for him to join work in the private sector, as the program gave him a valuable opportunity to integrate into a modern and diverse professional work environment, allowing him to develop his skills and gain new experiences.

He added that the private sector provides great flexibility in acquiring multiple skills, including communication skills, time management, and working within diverse teams, as well as the ability to adapt to different work challenges, which helped him expand his professional and personal horizons.

He pointed out that the experience of working in the private sector gave him a greater ability to innovate, take responsibility, and take initiatives, compared to previous experiences, stressing that this support contributed to enhancing his self-confidence and his ability to contribute effectively to achieving the goals of his organization and serving society.

He called for the importance of continuing and extending the support provided by the “NAFES” program, stressing that this support represents a fundamental incentive for citizens to work in the private sector, and helps them achieve their professional ambitions and job stability, while at the same time contributing to serving the nation and actively engaging in the national development process. He added: “Without this support, many citizens may face difficulty in choosing the private sector, especially since some companies do not provide salaries or benefits that suit the nature of the citizen applicants. Therefore, continuing to support the Nafes program is considered an essential element to ensure the sustainability of their participation and professional success.”

Maitha Abdullah Al Marri, who has been working in the tourism sector for two years, said that working in the private sector was a personal and professional challenge, but thanks to government support programs and national initiatives, she was able to learn and develop continuously, until she reached a point where she was transferring her experiences to others and teaching them new skills.

She explained that the most prominent thing she gained from her experience in the private sector is the ability to deal with different nationalities and develop communication and leadership skills.

She called for the importance of continuing the support provided to citizens within the “Nafis” program, stressing that it is necessary to continue encouraging citizens to join the private sector and achieve the aspirations of young people, and to ensure that they benefit from the opportunities for growth and professional development provided by this sector.

Noura Muhammad, who works in the field of public relations, said that her practical experience in this sector gave her multiple skills and developed her professional capabilities, noting that this was achieved thanks to the support directed by the “Nafes” program for citizens.

She added that the private sector provides greater growth opportunities and diversity of work, and that government support programs motivated her to continue and be dedicated to her work, noting that this support provided by the government helped her advance and develop her career.

She confirmed that her view of working in the private sector has completely changed, and she did not face any difficulties in adapting or any negative challenges in the work environment, stressing the importance of continuing and extending the period of support provided by the “Nafis” program, to continue encouraging citizens to fully engage in the private sector, stressing that the wise leadership does not hesitate from any initiatives that serve citizens and develop their skills to serve the nation.

For his part, human resources expert, Dr. Saeed Al Tunaiji, said that the wise leadership of the UAE is always keen to launch many initiatives and programs that serve citizens, especially young people, in order to work and engage in the private sector, noting that the “Nafis” program gave citizens two important opportunities, which are “financial support, and developing their skills in the private sector, so that they are prepared to work everywhere.”

He added that Nafes’ cooperation with private companies directly contributed to empowering citizens and attracting them to work in the private sector, stressing that today the concept of “unemployment” in the UAE has become non-existent thanks to the great support given by the wise leadership to employ citizens in all sectors, and that the Nafes program played a pivotal role in this concept.

Al-Tunaiji pointed out that the private sector has become the future, and young people’s ideas about it have changed thanks to the privileges provided to citizens and the continuous support from the government and leadership. He stressed that the Nafees program has created a job force for citizens, and they now have a reference, which is the government, thanks to the support it provides and its continuous follow-up in the event that they encounter any obstacles from any company.

He stressed the importance and continuity of the Nafes program in terms of financial support and other forms of support, such as the Nafes program having private institutions operating under its management, so that citizens work in the private sector under a government umbrella, which encourages citizens to continue working in the private sector, saying: “We hope that Nafes will continue thanks to the great support that young people have received during the past period, so that they will be able to achieve their future ambitions and not be a burden on their families.”

Meanwhile, human resources expert in the private sector, Mona Wadah, confirmed that recent years have witnessed a radical shift in the outlook of citizens towards working in the private sector, noting that national competencies today have become more involved in this sector and work with high efficiency and recognized professionalism.

She added that the national support programmes, led by the “Nafis” programme, had a pivotal role in motivating citizens to join the private sector, and enhancing their self-confidence and their ability to compete and excel, noting that many young citizens have achieved inspiring success stories in major private institutions, and have proven their superiority over their expatriate counterparts in several fields.

She explained that citizens are characterized by a high sense of belonging and a great passion for achieving success and serving the country, which is reflected in the quality of their performance and the speed of their integration into the private work environment, noting that employers have become more confident in national competencies and aware of their added value in advancing economic development.

She stressed that the continued support of “NAFES” will help the private sector attract more citizens to work and enhance the significant economic growth witnessed by the UAE in various fields, which will contribute to the next stage witnessing greater demand by citizens to work in the private sector, thanks to the growing awareness of the opportunities for growth and professional development that this sector provides.

Human resources expert Yousef Ahmed Al Hammadi confirmed that the Nafes program brought about a qualitative shift in the work culture of citizens, as it succeeded in correcting the prevailing concept that job stability is limited to the government sector. Today, the private sector has become a true partner in national development and a preferred destination for qualified nationals, thanks to the confidence that the program has strengthened and the support of the wise leadership to ensure a stable and motivating work environment for citizens.

He added: “NAFES provided an integrated support system that includes salary support and social benefits, in addition to specific training and qualification programs that enable citizens to develop professionally. These initiatives restored the balance between the two sectors and established the conviction that the private sector provides real growth opportunities and a sustainable career path for citizens.” He continued: “The focus in the next stage must be on qualitative Emiratisation in strategic jobs and developing the future skills of Emirati youth. Strengthening the partnership between educational institutions and the private sector will ensure that the outputs are aligned with the needs of the market, in continuation of the wise leadership’s approach to making the citizen the focus of development and its ultimate goal.”