Thousands come out for Tawdheef recruitment exhibition for UAE nationals

Armed Forces booth attracts the greatest interest among job seekers with women registering for the army in large numbers.

Emirati women visited the Armed Forces booth at the Tawdheef recruitment exhibition in great numbers. An officer at the booth said that many women wanted to join the army. Silvia Razgova / The NationaShow more

ABU DHABI // The opening of the Tawdheef recruitment exhibition for UAE nationals on Monday attracted thousands of students, graduates and job seekers alike.

With more than 100 companies from the public and private sectors exhibiting at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the three-day event was officially opened by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Development.

As the participating companies were offering more than 6,000 job opportunities, Hayete Jemai, Tawdheef exhibition director, said upwards of 15,000 Emiratis were expected to attend.

“The ninth edition of the show has had an incredibly positive start, with thousands of Emiratis walking the halls and meeting prospective employers,” said Ms Jemai. “We have received positive feedback from the organisations to meet candidates and it seems like the visitors are making the most of their opportunities here.”

The Armed Forces attracted by far the biggest interest with the largest and busiest booth at the exhibition.

“This year we have come in a bigger way with nine units offering lots of job opportunities to young Emiratis,” an officer at the pavilion said. He added that after registering, all the would-be recruits were assessed by officials who checked their qualifications and guided them to a suitable unit.

“We have advanced technology available here. Students don’t need to bring lots of paper certificates along with them. With their Emirates ID we can get access to their education and other details.”

The officer said that more women wanted to join the army, and had been registering in large numbers.

Ebrahim Al Salami, a civil engineering graduate, said he found Tawdheef was the best place to look for a suitable job.

“It is the best venue that any job seeker wishes to attend. We have all the best private and public companies under one roof,” said the 25-year-old, noting that there were more jobs for technical professionals rather than management at the exhibition.

“Being a technical graduate I found more options for myself as compared to those who are seeking managerial positions.”

Mr Al Salami said he preferred to find a job that offered challenging work rather than just a high salary. “Its never about money, it’s always about the job that suits my studies and passion.”

Increasingly, more Emirati professionals are looking at options with private companies as opposed to focussing only on the public sector, said Mr Al Salami. “We are realizing that the private sector is challenging and there is lots of potential for professional growth. Above all, while working for the private sector, one gets a more diverse international working environment that helps in career growth.”

IT student Latifa Saif said she found the exhibition helpful.

“Now I don’t care whether I will be working for a private or public company. My aim is to find a suitable job that gives me professional growth. Even the salary package at this stage seems irrelevant,” she said.

Among those participating at the exhibition are National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority, Adnoc, and the Department of Municipal Affairs.

The exhibition ends on Wednesday and is open from 10am to 7pm for UAE nationals over 18 years.