DCT partners with Hilton to include more Emiratis in tourism workforce

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), a part of the emirate’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing announced a strategic alliance with the US-based international hospitality company, Hilton, as part of DCT’s Medyaf program.

The initiative aims to train Emiratis for jobs in tourism sector in line with Dubai’s tourism development strategy.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT, and William Costley, Senior Vice President, Arabian Peninsula & Turkey, Hilton. The program will help to train the people of UAE in different roles of the hospitality industry.

It will also include internship opportunities at Hilton-branded hotels in the UAE through culinary and hotel operations, as well as year-round student training opportunities, including virtual learning, the chance to take part in the classes from Hilton experts and involvement in career day events.

“The agreement with global hospitality leader Hilton will provide a major impetus to our Medyaf programme to attract and train talented Emiratis for gainful employment in the tourism sector.  It is also a reflection of the strong spirit of collaboration that exists between government and private sector establishments in Dubai and will further enhance the role of the hospitality sector in the implementation of Dubai’s tourism strategy designed to make the city the world’s No.1 most visited, revisited and preferred destination.”

“With the world going through challenging times, it is imperative to expand the pool of local talent and we are confident that by working with industry partners of the caliber of Hilton, we will be able to achieve the goals of our industry nationalization drive, a critical element in strengthening Dubai’s tourism workforce,” added Mr. Hadher.

William Costley, Senior Vice President, Arabian Peninsula & Turkey, Hilton commented on the agreement that, “Attracting the very best talent to our hotels is critical to our success in Dubai – as we expand our portfolio and play an important role in realizing the tourism vision for this world-leading destination. This MoU reinforces our commitment to Dubai College of Tourism and the Medyaf program and we look forward to providing DCT students with incredible opportunities to learn from the best teams in the business and to expand their hospitality skills.”

Mr. Costley also announced that Hilton’s three Al Seef hotels recently conducted a series of virtual sessions as part of the Medyaf program, led by Remco Werkhoven, Cluster General Manager of Hilton’s Al Seef hotels, which aims to educate young Emirati nationals on potential job opportunities in the tourism sector. The virtual sessions hosted by Hilton were attended by over 100 Emiratis who have registered for the Medyaf course.

Medyaf program

The Medyaf program by DCT allows Emirati job seekers a complete onboarding program for recruitment, training and help applicants based on their skills and competencies by identifying their interests and preferences for a suitable career within the tourism industry. It also assists industry leaders to recognize the value of recruiting UAE nationals and financing their career development.