du signs an agreement with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)

du signed an agreement with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), an educational institution with 17 campuses across the UAE, which will provide ongoing learning opportunities to Emirati staff. As part of du’s long-term Emiratisation strategy, the agreement will give UAE national staff the opportunity to improve their English-language abilities with the help of trained instructors. An initial group of 70 UAE nationals employed by du started a three-month course on October 4th , 2009.

“The new partnership with HCT will provide our Emirati staff with excellent English training opportunities, furthering their professional development,” said Fahad Al-Hassawi, EVP, Human Resources, du. “As a UAE national company, over 20% of our employees are Emiratis, and we understand the importance of encouraging the development of home-grown talent. We are delighted to partner with HCT, to make this training possible as part of our long-term Emiratisation efforts.”

“We are very pleased to offer du’s Emirati staff a sophisticated English-language training programme to support the company’s – and the country’s – professional development goals for UAE nationals,” said Dr Bob Richards, Senior Director of the HCT,. “At HCT, we are committed to providing top-tier higher-learning opportunities across the UAE, and it is encouraging to see companies like du take a leadership role in providing advanced training options for their employees, thereby reaffirming education’s role in fostering national growth and prosperity.”

The initial English course will provide 63 hours of training spread over 14 weeks. It will be offered in both morning and afternoon time-slots to ensure operational continuity for du.

October 14,2009