Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has received 900 applications from young female and male Emiratis at National Service Career Fair, which took place in Expo City Dubai from 12-14 May 2025. During the career fair, EGA signed an agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to provide scholarships to UAE National students in subjects relevant to EGA talent needs.
EGA’s National Training programmes develop high school leavers for technical roles in the company’s industrial operations and administration. More than 5,000 UAE Nationals have graduated from these programmes since they were first established in 1982, with many then having long and successful careers with EGA and some reaching senior leadership positions. EGA’s Graduate Training programme is for university graduates.
Graduate trainees complete 18 or 24 months of training for supervisory positions in corporate functions or in industrial operations in front-line roles, such as tending reduction cells. In 2024, EGA hired more than 220 UAE Nationals, including in the longstanding National and Graduate Training programmes New recruits from the National Service Career Fair are expected to start from September 2025. Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “The future growth of EGA and our nation depends on of the next generation of UAE National leaders. We are committed to empowering our young talents, both women and men, to contribute to advancing the UAE’s industrial growth.
I am pleased to see many young talented UAE Nationals engage with our team at UAE National Service Career Fair and I look forward to welcoming new talents to EGA.” EGA already has one of the highest Emiratisation rates of any major company on a like-for-like basis accounting for the high proportion of blue-collar roles in heavy industry. More than 1,300 UAE Nationals now work at EGA. Over 700 of EGA’s Emirati employees are under the age of 35.
At the end of 2024, EGA’s in-focus Emiratisation rate was 44.5 per cent. EGA now aims to accelerate in-focus Emiratisation to reach 50 per cent by the end of 2027. This means EGA expects to hire up to 600 UAE Nationals over the period.
EGA has participated in 14 career fairs so far in 2025, including both major fairs and EGA’s own recruitment drives, such as those conducted with Dubai Government Human Resources Department, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Department of Government Enablement, HR Department of Ras Al Khaimah Government, HR Department of Fujairah Government.