Hewlett Packard Enterprise has said it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UAE Cyber Security Council to enhance cyber skills training in schools and prepare Emirati youth for careers in the technology industry.
HPE and the Cyber Security Council will launch various initiatives nationwide and expect to work with more than 500 students a year.
The MoU was signed by Mohammed Hamad Al-Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the Government of the UAE, and Ahmad Alkhallafi, managing director, UAE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, at Intersec, the largest security exhibition in the Middle East region, currently underway in Dubai.
An extension to HPE’s Emiratization program launched in 2019, the partnership with the Cyber Security Council will support the Government’s vision to enhance the skills of young Emiratis and encourage them to study the most sought-after technology areas at university. The HPE Youth Acceleration Initiative will include workshops for schoolchildren, orientation days at HPE sites, careers advice, university lectures and an internship program, as well as an early careers program for graduates, local media reports said.
“Cooperation with leading global technology companies is crucial to achieve the goal of putting the UAE at the forefront of global technology innovation,” Al-Kuwaiti said. “This partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an important step in developing a world-leading technology workforce for the future.”
The partnership with the Cyber Security Council has three separate elements that support schoolchildren, university students, and graduates. HP will partner with local primary and secondary schools to provide workshops in school and at HPE premises, include the HPE Digital Life Garage in Dubai – the company’s regional innovation hub. The workshops will provide insights into the IT industry, different roles and a day in the life of a technologist, as well as helping school pupils with university and careers advice.
HPE is also extending its internship program for university students, offering six month work placements that enable students to experience the corporate environment, IT industry and different roles within the business. Interns divide their time between work and study, gaining real world experience as well as job specific training. The program is also supported by a series of guest lectures by HPE executives on technology topics including AI, high performance computing, intelligent edge and cloud.
For graduates, HPE’s early careers program unlocks their potential and enables them to acquire the foundational skills needed for a successful career in the IT industry. The two-year program includes exposure to the whole breadth of HPE’s business, including technology solutions, sales and marketing, and support functions.