Serco, the international service company who specialize in the delivery of essential public services, held an occasion for its Emirati female staff members to mark Emirati Womens Day. The gathering showcased the achievements of Serco MEs female employees and included a series of activities as part of the annual celebrations taking place throughout the UAE.

The company employs over 200 UAE nationals across the Dubai Metro, of which 47 per cent are female, working across a range of department, covering 20 unique roles. Rebecca Jeffs, HR Director in Serco Middle east; gave an inspirational speech at the event honoring their exceptional work and contributions.

She said: At Serco Middle East, we have always encouraged the hiring of Emirati females and we have never failed to appreciate the consistent enthusiasm demonstrated by all throughout the entirety of their employment. We fully believe in giving women fair and equal opportunities as they seek to fulfill their professional ambitions and we look forward to welcoming many more to the Serco ME family in the coming years.

Alex Rentier, Managing Director of Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram in Serco Middle East included: We work with our partner the RTA to support the UAE governments comprehensive Emiratization policy, in accordance with the UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda, which has set a clear roadmap for the countrys transition to a knowledge-based economy. We are glad to have acknowledged our Emirati female staff as they make a huge contribution to the seamless operations at Dubai Metro and Tram.

As part of its promise to offer additional support to female staff, Serco ME has developed its Muwazana program to offer part-time employment for UAE nationals who are looking to balance work, studies and family commitments while contributing to the business and enhancing their professional development. During the first half of 2019, Serco ME employed 20 Emirati women in part time roles, reaffirming its commitment to creating more opportunities by providing a platform to further nurture and advance their skill sets and expertise.

Jeffs, concluded: Hiring Emirati women is just the first step as we also develop and retain our personnel so they can realize their full potential and have a big impact within the industry. Our programs allow us to support both Emiratization and local women by introducing flexible timings and customized training programs. We are constantly reviewing and enhancing our recruitment methods and training programs to ensure seamless integration of Emirati women into our workforce and the future is very bright for Serco ME and all of our female Emirati employees.

Similar programs that Serco ME has acquainted to support Emirati women incorporate Al Masar, which was launched in 2017 to equip participants with advanced leadership skills through its training sessions, and Fursati, which seeks to provide work placement opportunities within the organization to students.