CASE STUDY 7 United Arab Emirates National New Joiner Learning initiative by Majid Al Futtaim Context: In the United Arab Emirates, a significant opportunity exists in aligning the skills of United Arab Emirates nationals with the evolving demands of key economic sectors such as government, real estate and retail. By capitalizing on this opportunity, the United Arab Emirates can accelerate its strategic goals of economic diversification and greater Emirati participation in the private sector, while applying the principle of seeing the whole human to talent development. This approach ensures that upskilling initiatives not only align with market needs but also recognize the individual ambitions, potential and lived experiences of United Arab Emirates nationals, facilitating both national progress and personal growth within a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Approach: Majid Al Futtaim has deployed a United Arab Emirates National New Joiner Learning initiative which is a structured, tiered programme that provides targeted workshops focusing on human-centric skills necessary for modern workplaces. These skills include communication, resilience, critical thinking, adaptability and change-readiness. The programme is distinctively designed to cater to Emirati talent at various career stages, from frontline employees to entry-level managers for a duration of 6–8 months, with learners attending five in-person workshops at 6–8 week intervals. The programme is government-funded for eligible United Arab Emirates nationals at AED 11,000 (United Arab Emirates dirham) per person and Majid Al Futtaim supports this with its education allowance. A notable feature of the initiative is its funding model, a public-private partnership where the government funds 70% of the costs through the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and employers cover the remaining 30%. This model not only ensures substantial financial support but also fosters a collaborative responsibility sharing between the public and private sectors. Results: Since its inception in 2023, the programme has successfully engaged 650 beneficiaries, with 50% female participants. It has enrolled 534 frontline employees and 15 entry-level managers, achieving an average net promoter score (NPS) of 9 out of 10, meaning the participants would strongly recommend this learning to others. The pre- and post-training evaluations reveal a 44% increase in knowledge, underscoring the effectiveness of the workshops and helping participants to perform more strongly in their roles. The initiative’s sustainability is underpinned by continued government support through ADGM, ensuring long-term funding and alignment with national economic goals. The programme’s design allows for adaptability to future economic and job-market shifts. In line with the principle of seeing the whole human, organizations seeking to replicate this model should align programmes with national priorities, focus on specific workforce cohorts to maximize impact and embed community feedback from the outset. This ensures initiatives are shaped by real needs, lived experience and industry best practice to support holistic human and professional development. New Economy Skills: Unlocking the Human Advantage 36

New Economy Skills Unlocking the Human Advantage 2025