Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology Launches “Make it in the Emirates” Lab
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has launched the “Make it in the Emirates” Lab, a new public-private initiative that delivers best-in-class corporate training to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the industrial sector. The training will also be available to select national students to further support and encourage their contribution to the industrial sector upon graduation. In collaboration with Procter and Gamble, MoIAT also kicked off the Access SMEs program within the wider Make it in the Emirates Lab.
The Access SMEs program and the wider Make it in the Emirates SMEs Lab are both in line with Operation 300bn, the Ministry’s 10-year national strategy that aims to empower and expand the industrial sector to become a key driver of the UAE economy. SMEs make up approximately 94 percent of companies operating in the UAE with 11 percent in the industrial sector.
His Excellency Omar Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary at Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology, said: “Knowledge transfer is a critical component of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, Operation 300bn, transforming our industrial sector into a modern, technologically advanced and globally competitive engine of economic growth. The Access SMEs training module will deliver practical, market-tested advice and guidance to our SMEs and select students – covering the likes of supply-chains and procurement, data analytics and lean manufacturing. We are delighted to partner with P&G and benefit from their advanced expertise in manufacturing consumer products.”
Access SMEs will target approximately 20 industrial SMEs and 10 senior Emirati students in the program. It is expected that the Make it in the Emirates SMEs Lab will reach 100 SMEs in total in its first year. It is also expected to accommodate approximately 50 students who will benefit from the training annually.
The training modules have been developed by P&G and are designed to develop core capabilities in areas such as operations, quality, supply chain, sourcing, marketing, sales and finance and accounting, as well as providing companies with the tools to access local, regional, and global markets.
In addition to P&G, additional MoUs are in process with a number of key national and international industrial companies as part of this best-in-class corporate training. The SMEs Lab will also offer consultancy services provided directly by MoIAT and via partner companies, with sessions devoted to the practical support offered by Emirates Development Bank and the National In-Country Value program.
The Make it in the Emirates Lab is the second public-private initiative by MoIAT following the Future of Industry Dialogue initiative, a series of interactive meetings organized in Q1 of 2021 with representatives of leading industrial sectors in the UAE.
