UAE Encouraged to Empower Local Tech Talent for Future Growth
The UAE must give its nationals hands-on experience, decision-making authority, and comprehensive training to develop the next generation of technology leaders, experts say.
Homegrown expertise will be essential to build on the country’s sovereign technology infrastructure. However, developing Emirati talent should not come at the expense of expatriates, whose skills have played a central role in the nation’s economic success. Foreign nationals currently account for almost nine in ten residents, reflecting how deeply an international workforce has supported the UAE’s rapid economic development.
Dalia Alnuaimi, founder of UAE-based company Sarai AI Solutions, said training programs must be followed by meaningful practical workplace experience. While universities equip graduates with strong technical foundations, she said, employers still need to provide real-world experience and mentoring before entrusting young professionals with more demanding responsibilities. “Developing the judgment to lead that work requires sustained practice and increasing responsibility,” she said. “For technical entrants, that means working with real organisational data, connecting AI to existing systems and judging whether the result is dependable.”
Alnuaimi said universities and employers share responsibility for closing the gap between formal education and fast-changing enterprise technology. “Universities provide foundations and practical exposure, and employers need to give young professionals the work and guidance through which they develop professional judgment,” she said.
Progress is already visible across the public sector. Last September, the Abu Dhabi government reported that more than 95 percent of its workforce of over 30,000 employees had completed training in artificial intelligence.
Alnuaimi pointed to UAE technology group e&’s 12-month graduate program as a strong example for other employers to follow. Its 2025 intake offered 100 positions to Emirati graduates, combining structured mentoring with hands-on, real-world projects.
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