Strategy & Operations

e& concludes the 4th cohort of AI Grad Prog

21 Dec 2022

Dubai: e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) has successfully concluded the fourth cohort of the AI Graduate Programme, which aims to invest in the UAE's future leaders and enables graduates to build their capabilities in emerging technologies and leadership skills to help lead the country's digital future.

The 66 new graduates were welcomed by Ali Al Mansoori, CHRO of etisalat by e& UAE, and will be offered a unique learning-by-doing opportunity.

Addressing the graduates, Al Mansoori said: “We are beyond excited to welcome these talented graduates to the AI Graduate Programme this year. It is a priority for us to nurture the future leaders and digital architects of tomorrow with the right skills from day one to ensure you are all ready for a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. This programme is a great platform for them to kickstart an illustrious career.”

The rising talents will work on business-critical projects and real-life cases, providing the next generation of leaders with authentic learning experiences that will set their career pathways up for success.

Launched by e& in 2021, the AI Graduate Programme has set a new milestone with over 82 graduates enrolled in the programme in 2022.

The candidates joining this cohort were selected through an intense hackathon and thinkathon assessments where they were challenged to attempt a functional case study and present solutions back to the business.

These graduates will embark on an exciting and challenging nine-month journey in three phases: understanding data culture and analytics, deep-diving into power skills such as communication and decision making, emotional intelligence, learning AI for business leaders and leadership development.

The programme has been designed to combine power skills with in-depth technical certifications in collaboration with leading educational partners such as Udacity, Alliance, Harvard Business Review, MIT, LinkedIn, and Udemy. Each graduate will receive a personal development plan, mentoring, coaching and regular feedback.

With the onboarding of exceptional young talent and capabilities, etisalat by e& is also aligned with the recent MoU signed with Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) to participate in the NAFIS initiative that will involve the hiring and empowering of more than 500 Emirati professionals in its retail, customer service, technology and IT space in a span of five-year period.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.