Dubai, UAE, August 12, 2024:

Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) has recently organised the second edition of the Human Resources Forum with an aim to upskill and reskill the workforce. Hosted on Microsoft Teams, the forum titled ‘Workforce Upskilling & Reskilling’, was attended by His Excellency Abdulla Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director-General of the DGHR, along with department directors, section heads, and human resources specialists from Dubai Government.

The forum pursued to equip department managers, section heads, and human resources specialists in the Dubai Government with necessary skills and capabilities to keep in pace with the rapid technological advancements, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Moreover, the forum highlighted the ongoing trends that have the potential to affect the workforce’s future.

Abdulla Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director-General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, said: “The second edition of Human Resources Forum showcases DGHR’s commitment to enhancing the skills and capabilities of the workforce, in light of the rapid technological developments, particularly in AI. The initiative is in line with the ambitious vision of our wise leadership to position Dubai Government as one of the best globally in leveraging AI across its institutions. We, at DGHR, are dedicated to upskilling and reskilling the workforce, as it is vital for ensuring sustainable growth and maintaining competitiveness in the labour market. The forum serves as an ideal platform to share expertise and showcase local and global initiatives that ensure a prosperous future that is based on knowledge and innovation, especially amidst the exceptional opportunities and prevalent challenges that AI presents,”

“We reaffirm our commitment to empowering our national cadres and equipping them with the requisite skills to drive digital transformation. DGHR has been dedicated to bolstering Dubai’s efforts towards becoming the smartest city in the world across all sectors. This is in line with the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which is aimed at enhancing the quality of life in Dubai, and boosting its competitiveness globally, further positioning it as the best city in the work to live, work and visit,” H.E. Al Falasi, added.

Forum Agenda

H.E. Dr. Saeed Aldhaheri, Director of the Centre for Futures Studies, University of Dubai, gave a presentation titled ‘Upskilling and Reskilling the Skills of the Workforce in the Era of Artificial Intelligence’, during which he highlighted global trends that are impacting the future of workforce skills, including technologies such as AI and automation. It also focussed on key areas such as the transition from hiring for jobs to hiring for skills, green economy, sustainability, social responsibility, improvement of leadership roles, and data-driven human resources. H.E. further emphasised on the importance of enhancing workforce skills to stay abreast with digital transformations.

Additionally, Mariam Al Suwaidi, senior vice president of shared services at ADNOC Sour Gas, gave an in-depth presentation titled ‘ADNOC Academy: The Stages of Developing and Building Workforce Skills’, showcasing ADNOC’s experience in enhancing employees’ skills. She further highlighted innovative strategies devised by the company in the areas of lifelong learning and skill development to ensure its competitiveness and maintaining sustainable economic growth.

During the forum, a discussion was also held on ‘Skills Needed in the Future’, which included basic skills and capabilities, technical and specialised skills, AI skills, basic digital skills, lifelong learning mentality, and learning flexibility.

Statistics and Analysis

The Forum further discussed the statistics from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, according to which 42 per cent of job tasks would be completed by 2027, and 44 per cent of the workforce skills would transform in the next five years. It also addressed the significance of enhancing and restructuring skills to stay updated with the evolving labour market.

The forum is a testament to DGHR’s commitment towards the directives of the wise leadership, which seeks to prepare Dubai for technological transformations, and the AI era, along with developing specialised expertise and skills to support global technological advancement.