The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) Campus for Occupational and Academic Development is one of the most important national institutions for developing and qualifying Emirati youth. The Campus refines their capabilities and provides them with technical and engineering skills in accordance with the best international standards. This allows them to keep pace with the tremendous changes in the labour market and become the next generation of sustainability leaders. The Smart Training and Education Centre at the Campus has attracted over 90,000 participation by DEWA employees since the beginning of the year and until the end of August 2023. DEWA Academy, since its launch at the Campus in 2013, has graduated eight batches with a total of 351 students, who are now working in various divisions in DEWA, including Distribution Power, Generation, Transmission Power, and Water & Civil. The Academy currently has 183 enrolled students.
“DEWA is committed to providing students and youth with the necessary skills and tools to strengthen the abilities of the next generation of innovators and experts in future technologies. This is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who considers the youth a national wealth and investment for the future. DEWA Campus for Occupational and Academic Development supports our efforts to enhance the academic development of Emirati youth in technical, engineering, and occupational sectors and various technical specialisations. The Campus provides an attractive and motivational environment to attract and empower national calibre. This raises the percentage of Emirati employees at DEWA and provides the job market in Dubai with national competencies that support the energy and water sectors and strategic prioritised sectors,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA, stated that the DEWA Campus for Occupational and Academic Development represents a turning point in technical and vocational training in the UAE and Dubai. The Campus contributes to DEWA’s Emiratisation plan to prepare young Emiratis in various technical and professional fields, both theoretically and practically. This is done through pioneering training programmes that cover all business areas at DEWA.
The Campus is spread over 350,000 square feet in Al Hudaiba in Dubai. It includes lecture and training halls, workshops with state-of-the-art technological and educational facilities, computer labs, an auditorium, a multi-purpose hall, offices for engineers and trainers, a library, sports playgrounds, and other modern facilities.
Smart Training and Education Centre
The Smart Training and Education Centre includes 14 training halls with the latest training facilities and smart applications. It provides training for DEWA’s staff in various fields, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3D Printing, smart learning, creativity and innovation, sustainability, project management, as well as technical and specialised courses. DEWA has been accredited to provide training in several fields.
DEWA Academy
DEWA Academy was launched in cooperation with the British Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC). The Academy trains and qualifies young Emiratis academically and vocationally in various technical and professional areas covering the production, transmission and distribution of energy and water, and water desalination. Graduates receive their diplomas from the UK’s BTEC, one of the pioneering vocational-rehabilitation organisations in the world. The certificates are equivalent to vocational high-school diplomas, enabling graduates to work in different technical fields at DEWA. Students study in the Academy for three years during which time, they receive a generous monthly allowance.
The Academy provides the best technical education programmes supervised by the Ministry of Education and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai. The programmes are specialised technical and engineering subjects, under the supervision of BTEC’s administration and with the help of a specialised team of professors and engineers. The Academy’s curriculum includes three disciplines: Electrical engineering, Mechanical engineering, and Mechatronic engineering, in addition to a project management programme for its distinguished students. The Academy provides the programme as it has become a certified training partner for project management teaching and accreditation activities for the Project Management Institute PMI®-based in Pennsylvania, USA.
DEWA Academy includes 12 classrooms, 3 computer labs, and 12 specialised workshops in electrical and mechanical engineering. The workshops include: Smart Grid-SCADA Workshop, Advanced Electronics Workshop, AI Workshop, Electrical Installations & Sustainability Workshop, Innovation & Building Management Workshop, Operation & Maintenance Workshop, Welding & Fabrication Workshop, Design and Production Workshop, CNC Machining Workshop, Mechatronics Workshop, and Automation and Robotics Workshop. It also includes halls with state-of-the-art tools and technologies, computer labs and a multimedia learning centre. In addition to scientific and technical skills, students gain other life skills such as time management, planning, innovation, and teamwork. They also have supervised engineers and trainers from DEWA, and certified experts in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, equipment maintenance and operations engineering.
