Winners will represent the UAE in Gulf Skills and Global Skills competitions

331 Emirati students showcase their engineering and technical expertise at Emirates Skills

The National Skills Competition reflects the level of scientific and practical competence of the participants. Cinematographer: Najeeb Mohamed

The 14th edition of the "Emirates Skills National Competition 2023", organized by the Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), kicked off yesterday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, "Mother of the Nation".

A total of 331 Emirati contestants will compete in 23 technical and engineering fields under the supervision and judgement of 100 experts, with Emirates Skills activities, which will run until Wednesday, March 15, to raise awareness of technical and vocational education among young Emiratis through competitions, training programs and professional technical activities.

The Director General of the Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), Dr. Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, stressed that the National Emirates Skills Competition includes a group of contestants who show their creativity and are distinguished by their talents, in accordance with the judging criteria of the competition, pointing out that the competition consolidates its position as an important national technical and vocational race that attracts Emirati youth and girls who compete in engineering, industrial and vocational disciplines that are compatible with future jobs, which is in line with the center's strategy that works to achieve the directives of the wise leadership. To create national competencies capable of global competition.

He pointed out that the National Skills Competition reflects the level of scientific and practical competence of the participants, including young talents and skilled hands who flocked from different Emirates to participate in all categories of aircraft engine maintenance skills, graphic design, artificial intelligence, programming, electrical connections, future programmers, electronics, turning, painting, mobile robotics, web design, engineering drawing, in addition to industrial control systems.

He said: "The Emirates Skills National Competition is a unique and unique experience for emerging emerging skills to challenge their peers in the selected category, and receive the best prizes in their skills. The National Competition represents a valuable opportunity for highly skilled students and youth to prove their abilities and develop their competitiveness, which will motivate them to continuously improve their skills and strive for better achievements according to the standards of the National Emirates Skills Competition The main skill categories that match the World Skills Competition (winners are qualified to compete in the World Skills Competition and the Gulf Skills Competition)."

Eng. Ali Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Head of Emirates Skills at Abu Dhabi Tech, said: "Emirates Skills works to develop the technical and vocational education and training system in the UAE through knowledge development, information exchange, increasing the number of Emirati students enrolled in the TVET system, integrating them into the sector and expanding their awareness of the advantages of this type of education by providing them with opportunities to participate in multiple skills competitions at the national, regional and global levels every year."

Al Marzouqi added: "Mahat Emirates believes that the diverse career options offered by the TVET sector can change the course of people's lives if carefully selected. We work hard to introduce students to these options through skills competitions, and we are keen to add new competitions to the National Skills Competition that is held every year. We also take into account the advantage of quality control and continuous measurement of performance levels compared to the WorldSkills Competition, which always monitors the latest technical and professional developments in the sector."

For their part, students participating in the competition, Hassan Al Rumaithi, Khalid Al Balushi, Mohammed Rayan, Noura Al Dhaheri and Mona Khalaf, pointed out that the goal of the competition goes beyond the limits of competition to reach the point of enabling citizens to develop their capabilities in creativity and industrial and engineering development, pointing out that the competition includes in each field a challenge that the contestants must overcome.

While the experts and judges participating in the competition confirmed the high skills of the contestants, and their possession of technical and technical expertise that exceeds their age and promises national cadres at the highest level, explaining that the contestants from the first moments of the competition began to work in a team spirit, and they also have clear scientific plans to overcome the problems and challenges they face.