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EGA pushes for greater inclusivity of women in the manufacturing sector

20% of UAE Nationals trainees in EGA’s operations are women in the first full year since opening the programme for women. (Image source: EGA)

Emirates Global Aluminium has announced that 20% of its UAE National trainees in operations are women, after the company opened its long-standing technical training programmes to women

EGA hired a total of 75 National trainees for its technical programmes during 2023. The company's National Training Programmes last between six months and three years, and provide theoretical and on-the-job training to work in EGA’s smelters, power plants, desalination plants or maintenance.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, said, “As a UAE industrial champion, we recognise our role in developing strong local talent, with particular focus on women, to achieve our bold aspiration to be the industrial employer of choice by 2030. We will continue to prioritise both Emiratisation and gender diversity as we secure the people we need to grow our business and contribute to our nation’s sustainable economic development for decades to come.”

Emiratisation 

It hired around 120 UAE Nationals in 2023 in total, including 37 women.

Over 95% of EGA’s 2023 UAE National recruits were under the age of 35. While EGA recruits mid-career experts, the company focuses on attracting and developing young people who are starting their careers as talent for the future. At the end of 2023, EGA’s in-focus Emiratisation rate was 42.6%.

EGA now aims to accelerate in-focus Emiratisation, targeting that the number of UAE Nationals rises as a proportion of the in-focus workforce by 2% every year to reach 48% by 2026.

This means EGA expects to hire up to 500 UAE Nationals over the next three years, including replacements for staff turnover and company growth. EGA also recruited 30 graduate trainees in 2023, including a majority of 17 women amongst the cohort.

EGA employs over 470 women in the UAE in total, including more than 160 in operations. EGA aims to increase the proportion of supervisory positions in the UAE held by women to 25% by 2025 and is targeting 15% of all roles at EGA being held by women by 2026.