DP World launches MENA education programme

The programme aims to counter findings revealed from a survey across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region commissioned by DP World that highlights widespread misunderstanding of trade and logistics, its role in everyday lives, value to economies and potential as a career option.

DP World believes this is impeding the industry’s ability to attract and support talent to the sector over the long term.

“Trade and logistics oils the wheels of the global economy, enabling countries to grow and develop. Trade has been with us since the dawn of time, it brings us the goods we see in our homes and it provides a range of meaningful and skilled jobs to people of all backgrounds,” said Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World.

He continued: “Those employment opportunities are changing rapidly with new technologies, robotics, automation, big data and the internet of things where new skills are required. It is worrying to uncover such deep levels of misunderstanding around the role and value of trade and logistics in all our lives.”

The survey focused on parents of children aged 6 to 14 in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria with responses combined to gain an understanding of the situation across the MENA region.

It highlighted that less than 30% of parents know what trade and logistics means, knowledge was highest in the UAW where almost half understood the term. There was constant misunderstanding of what goods their country imports and exports.

Approximately 49% of parents in the region feel optimistic about their children’s future and yet only 7% said they felt a career in trade and logistics would offer the greatest job prospects for their children.

After knowing more about what trade and logistics meant, 67% then said they believed it is important for children to understand more about the sector themselves.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, continued: “We want to be part of an industry that is here for the long term and invests in future generations.”

“We believe that our new education programme is essential in boosting the skills and aspirations of young people, as well as in ensuring they understand what trade is and what logistics means, giving them the resources, appetite and skills to become part of its success in the future.”

More details of the DP World Education Programme are set to be announced at a press conference at the Arab Media Forum in the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday May 10.