Boeing-Mubadala initiative to boost UAE students’ aviation skills

Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business

Boeing announced that the Boeing-Mubadala Co-Op internship program is on course to provide vital aerospace engineering expertise to bolster the UAE’s ever-expanding aviation capabilities.
The Co-Op program, sponsored by ADEC, was launched by Boeing and Mubadala in 2015 to support the development of a sustainable aerospace industry in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Six students have graduated from the program to date and 10 Emirati students will join the program in August 2017. On completion, this initiative will have equipped up to 40 students with critical skills and experience to boost the UAE’s domestic aerospace industry.
The internship is an experiential learning opportunity that exposes a select group of undergraduate engineering students from the UAE to exciting career options in the world of aerospace engineering. Throughout the 18-week program, the students participate in professional development activities designed to build their network and broaden their exposure to Boeing and aerospace engineering. The students are also introduced to Fabrication, Manufacturing Engineering, Liaison Engineering, and Industrial Engineering modules.
The Co-Op program sends the
engineering students to various Boeing locations in the United States, including Seattle, Salt Lake City and Charleston, which is home to the company’s second 787 Dreamliner final assembly and delivery facility. The graduates are then offered a position at one of Mubadala’s Aerospace and Engineering Services companies.
Dr. Mohamed Yousif Baniyas, Higher Education Executive Director at ADEC said that the joint cooperation with various national and international sectors would contribute to the development of national competency standards according to the best practices. The cooperation will also improve students’ academic and vocational performance and foster their skills to work in a global competitive environment. He added that this joint internship program, that is offered by The Boeing Company in collaboration with Mubadala, is considered one of the significant programs that would contribute to the provision of qualified Emirati manpower capable to work in the aerospace sector, drive and sustain Abu Dhabi’s social and economic growth and achieve ADEC goals aiming to provide human capital necessary for meeting labor market requirements in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
“The Boeing-Mubadala Co-Op program is actively developing expertise that will directly benefit the UAE’s ambitions for a sustainable aerospace industry. Our objective for the next three years is to provide as much experience to as many Emirati students as possible to support the UAE’s objectives,” said Bernard Dunn, president of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.
Homaid Al Shimmari, Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace & Engineering Services, Mubadala, added: “It’s extremely rewarding to see the graduation of highly qualified Emiratis coming through the Co-Op program. As we look ahead to a new year, it’s vital that we continue to work with strategic partners, like Boeing, who are deeply rooted in our national ambition to become a future aviation hub, to develop an evolving pipeline of domestic talent and skills. Training local youth is a priority to deliver on the UAE’s plan to accomplish our footing in the sector.”
One of Mubadala’s primary assets is the Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park. By 2030 Mubadala will create approximately 4,000 jobs at Nibras Al Ain Aerospace Park. The multi-faceted development is an integral part of the UAE’s ambitions for building a sustainable aerospace industry in the country and helping to diversify the economy and build upon the UAE Government’s 2030 Policy Agenda.