Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced a strategic partnership with leading international hospitality company, Hilton, as part of DCT’s Medyaf programme, the industry nationalisation initiative aimed at preparing Emiratis for careers across tourism touchpoints in line with Dubai’s tourism growth strategy.

Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT and William Costley, Senior Vice President, Arabian Peninsula & Turkey, Hilton, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MOU will pave the way for the training of UAE nationals in various roles in the hospitality sector and will include internship opportunities across culinary and hotel operations at Hilton-branded hotels in the UAE, as well as year-round training opportunities for students – including virtual learning, the opportunity to hear from Hilton experts and participation in career day activities.

Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism, commented: “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 calibre of Hilton, we will be able to achieve the goals of our industry nationalisation drive, a critical element in strengthening Dubai’s tourism workforce.”

Commenting on the agreement, William Costley, Senior Vice President, Arabian Peninsula & Turkey, Hilton, said, “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 realising the tourism vision for this world-leading destination. This MoU reinforces our commitment to Dubai College of Tourism and the Medyaf programme 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 revealed that recently, Hilton’s three hotels in Al Seef hosted a series of virtual sessions as part of the Medyaf programme to enlighten young Emirati nationals on future employment prospects in the tourism sector – led by Remco Werkhoven, Cluster General Manager of Hilton’s Al Seef hotels. More than 100 Emiratis who have enrolled for the Medyaf course participated in the virtual sessions hosted by Hilton.

Through its Medyaf programme, DCT offers Emirati job seekers a robust recruitment, training and industry on-boarding platform, helping candidates define their interests and preferences for a suitable career within the tourism industry, based on their skills and competencies. It also helps industry leaders understand the importance of hiring UAE nationals and investing in their career development.