GAL, a leading regional provider of integrated aircraft sustainment solutions for military and civilian customers, today announced that it is partnering with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) to train and encourage talented and interested UAE national students to join the company’s MRO staff cadres in Abu Dhabi.

Mohammed Al Khemairi, CEO of GAL signed the agreement with HE Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, HCT President & CEO, on the sidelines of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2021), underway at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 21 to 25 February.

Under the terms of the agreements, GAL is to train HCT students in the latest MRO operations and processes at its dedicated facilities in Abu Dhabi, with a view to hiring them to join its workforce as permanent employees upon completion of their educational programmes. In addition, GAL’s team of experts will also collaborate with the faculty at HCT in structuring the curricula of aviation-related programmes to ensure their continued relevance in the workplaces of tomorrow.

Students chosen from the bachelor's, higher diploma and diploma programmes in aircraft engineering, aircraft maintenance, air traffic management, electromechanical engineering, and information security engineering, will work with GAL as part of its efforts to increase the number of qualified nationals in its workforce.

HE Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, HCT President & CEO, expressed his happiness in cooperating with GAL, the leading company in military and civil aviation solutions, which will contribute to supporting the HCT’s efforts to train and employ its graduates and enable them to gain realistic experience in the aviation industry, stressing the importance of the aviation sector in the UAE and its leadership and proven ability to quickly recover and overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasized the importance of preparing national cadres in the fields of engineering and aviation, in line with the latest job and skill requirements in this sector to create national competencies able to contribute professionally to the aviation sector.

Dr. Al Shamsi affirmed his confidence in the HCT graduates and their learning outcomes, which have proven their worth in various sectors, and, most recently, the participation of a group of HCT graduates in the "Hope Probe" project team to be part of the UAE's efforts in the space domain. He indicated that cooperation with GAL will include training for students, and enhancing employment opportunities, and developing aviation-related curricula and programmes to meet its needs of qualified national cadres in support of Emiratisation, noting that this year the HCT have about 5603 students in different engineering programs, 45% of whom are female students.

Speaking on its partnerships with academia, HE Mohamed Al Khemairi, CEO of GAL, said: “As a leading MRO services provider, GAL is conscious of its crucial role in building the capacities of young UAE nationals from engineering and aviation focused disciplines to join our team of subject matter experts and technicians. In line with our commitment to the sustainability of the UAE’s MRO sector, these partnerships will empower Emirati students to take up promising careers in the field of MRO and aircraft sustainment.

“The students will join GAL’s teams in providing an integrated range of allied services to enhance operational efficiencies for our customers. Such well-intentioned synergies between academia and industry go a long way in bridging the skills gap in the UAE labour market while also adding value for our clients in terms of fresh talent and ideas.”