The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi (DGE), represented by the Mawaheb Talent Hub, to strengthen the training and employment of UAE nationals in the country’s expanding civil nuclear energy sector.
The five-year agreement aims to qualify at least 100 Emiratis holding high school diplomas, vocational diplomas, or postgraduate degrees for careers in nuclear energy and related high-tech industries.
The agreement was signed by Abdulla AlShimmari and Ahmed Alshamsi, in presence of Mohamed Al Hammadi and Mariam Al Musharrakh.
Under the agreement, DGE’s Mawaheb Talent Hub will provide ENEC with a curated pool of candidates and access to facilities for awareness workshops, technical assessments, and interviews. ENEC will lead the design and funding of the training programmes and provide financial support to trainees throughout the programme period.
Successful participants who meet hiring requirements will be integrated into ENEC and its subsidiaries upon completion.
“Since its inception, ENEC has been dedicated to cultivating a world-class team of Emirati professionals who are the backbone of our success at the Barakah Plant today and for the many decades of operations ahead,” said Al Hammadi.
“This agreement with the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi allows us to expand our talent pipeline, ensuring that the next generation of UAE nationals is equipped with the expertise to lead and secure our nation’s carbon-free future and drive long-term sustainable growth. This initiative also supports the UAE’s transition to a knowledge-based economy by equipping job seekers with specialised skills for high-tech industries,” he added.
Ibrahim Nassir said the partnership reflects a broader national commitment to investing in local talent.
“We believe that the most important investment any nation can make is in its people. This agreement with ENEC reflects exactly that — a shared commitment to placing Emirati talent at the heart of one of the UAE’s most strategically vital sectors,” Nassir said.
“Through Mawaheb, we are not simply connecting job seekers to vacancies; we are building a pipeline of nationally qualified experts who can lead the UAE’s clean energy future for generations to come. Partnerships of this depth and ambition are what transform national vision into lasting reality,” he added.
ENEC said the agreement builds on its long-standing workforce development efforts, noting that more than 2,000 Emiratis have already contributed to the development and operation of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant through six dedicated talent pipeline programmes.
The Barakah plant, located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, was developed under a USD 20 billion agreement signed in 2009 with a consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). The plant’s four APR1400 reactors entered commercial operation between 2021 and 2024 and currently provide around 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs.