General Information Authority (GIA), in collaboration with the National Academy for Research and Development (NARD), has announced that it has recently launched the ‘Khibrate’ (My Skills) program, which aims to empower government employees as well as other members of the community with practical and professional skills. The establishment of the Khibrate program is part of GIA's continuing efforts to build a society based on knowledge and to implement the UAE e-Strategy.
The Khibrate program offers a number of diploma programs and professional training courses that are recognised by leading IT multinationals, including Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco and Adobe. The new courses are in addition to specialised courses and certificates on security and protection of websites and the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) certificate being offered by GIA.
Furthermore, the Khibrate program focuses on courses that deliver added value to government workplaces and promote the administrative skills and performance of employees, particularly in the areas of time management, communications and customer service. The program also seeks to enhance the government's ability to promote business ethics, build job loyalty and settle disputes, as subjects related to effective negotiation skills; change management, creative thinking and initiative have been incorporated in the various courses.
H.E. Salem Khamis Al Shair, GIA General Manager, said: "The UAE is currently undergoing a period of transition wherein the country needs to focus on excellence and quality to overcome the challenges posed by the global economic crisis. Furthermore, the ongoing electronic transformation of the country is one of our priorities as it will serve as one of the foundations that will help us achieve sustainable development."
"In this regard, we are empowering the country's public sector with essential skills and knowledge, which we believe will improve their ability to contribute towards achieving the UAE's vision of becoming a strong and stable knowledge-based society. The Khibrate initiative is an important step in this direction as it will help strengthen the country's pool of qualified professionals, particularly those in the government sector," added Al Shair.
Al Shair noted that the name Khibrate was chosen so that employees will feel that they are directly involved in and that they are the beneficiaries of the program. The program also aims to correct the misconception that the eGovernment initiative has been established to "replace" human resources with technology. Instead, eGovernment reinforces the importance of creating a more developed working environment, which is conducive for creativity and innovation, and promotes professionalism.
Al Shair also pointed out that the Khibrate program has been designed to enhance the career path of government employees, and to make training initiatives an inherent part in the development of human resources. This will help employees become more motivated to improve their performance and aspire for gainful career possibilities within their respective organisations.
Al Shair explained that the Khibrate program will continue to expand and cover various areas of professional expertise, in line with the latest developments in technology and best practices. Al Shair further emphasised that the program will help reinforce the importance of e-learning and the healthy exchange of work experiences as an integral part of the government work system, helping it to become a premier institution of quality and excellence.
"The program also includes a special portfolio of training courses developed specially for women, which is one of our priorities. This will promote the leadership potential of women and will highlight their successful role in the continuing socioeconomic development of the UAE," said Al Shair.
Meanwhile, Eng. Najwa Ali Diab, CEO of NARD, said, "The Academy has extensive experience in developing and providing professional training programs for various segments of the society, particularly in the government sector. As such, we consider this partnership with GIA as a strategic move that will strengthen our ability to deliver greater value in the training materials and resources that we offer. Through the years, we have seen that our efforts to supplement the knowledge and professional skills of public sector employees have made a considerable positive impact on the government. We are thus confident that this partnership will further boost the success of our initiatives."
"We strongly value this partnership with GIA as it represents a practical integration of resources and initiatives of the public and private sectors. We will continue to jointly work to meet the training requirements of the society as a whole, and among government employees in particular, and ultimately help achieve the vision of the UAE to create a society built on knowledge," added Eng. Diab.
The GIA offers training resources to government employees and to other segments of the society. Since its inception, over 29,000 individuals have already participated in various training programs organised by the GIA. In cooperation with the Red Crescent, the Authority also maintains a special training facility that is equipped to provide customised training to the blind and people with special needs. During the last few months, the GIA has organised various training courses for the Ministry of Justice, while there are now a total of 111 individuals from various agencies and ministries who have participated in GIA-organised training activities so far this year.
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Quelle/Source: Al Bawaba, 13.07.2009
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