Emerging technologies have presented a “significant opportunity” to be a leader in ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ manufacturing processes, provided that young people are equipped with the necessary skills, according to Badr Al Olama, the head of the organising committee of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) and head of Mubalada Aerospace.
In an interview with Arabian Business, Al Olama said that he is “confident that manufacturing is going to be one of the UAE’s most resilient and prevalent sectors” in the future.
“The fact that we are relatively new to the manufacturing sector means that we don’t have to look to how things were done before,” he said. “Instead, we have the opportunity to create a new way of thinking, and a new way of making.”
Among the strengths of the UAE when it comes to manufacturing, Al Olama said, is a “culture of innovation” and a relatively young, tech-savvy population.
“These demographics and this innovation culture is integral to the development of the manufacturing sector,” he said.
“In the UAE, despite the sector being relatively young, companies like Strata Manufacturing, Emirates Global Aluminium and defence manufacturer NIMR Automotive have proven their capabilities and evolved into key global players in knowledge-based and cutting-edge sectors.”
Al Olama added that “it is crucial that we encourage and motivate our youth to consider a future in manufacturing by demonstrating the potential of a promising career in this field.”
As an example of the way that manufacturing can create employment opportunities in the UAE, Al Olama pointed to Strata’s multi-year contract to manufacture vertical fins for the B787 Dreamliner family of aircraft.
“The new work package will also require a high level of capability development, which is another main pillar of our strategy in terms of providing high-value, long-term employment jobs for UAE nationals,” he said, adding that 86 percent of the 300 Emiratis trained to join Strata have been women.
“In manufacturing in particular, we are confident integrating such innovations will allow us to realise a dream that we have been pursuing for centuries – prosperity for all,” he added.
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