James R Wilson James R Wilson

James R Wilson, general manager, Dusit Thani Dubai explains why Emiratisation means more than just guidelines

Being located within the UAE, Emiratisation is a key concept for businesses to embrace. As part of our IIP accreditation we have been developing an advanced Emiratisation programme with the support of the DTCM.

We call it the Sawasdee programme. The enhanced initiative, which has been rolled out across the hotel, will assist UAE nationals joining us with the development of their chosen careers, while allowing them to embrace our distinct Thai culture.

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The IIP framework is centred around creating engagement, development and empowerment, and our primary focus is how our changes will further benefit our colleagues. While we have been working strictly towards the government’s guidelines on Emiratisation, we have also been working on how we can further enhance our policies to provide added value to UAE nationals looking to join the hospitality industry.

Developing such a structured Emiratisation programme not only complements our current personal development procedures, but also provides our joining UAE national colleagues a learning platform to apply the theory they have learnt previously to the working environment, preparing them for key positions in a reasonable timeframe.

Senior figures within the hotel, including myself, the director of human resources and our learning and developing department, will be mentoring each colleague through the programme to ensure they are progressing, looking at areas for further development and identifying the necessary leadership skills and desire to grow within the company during an intensive 12 months.

Over the next few years Dusit International is expanding both within the region and internationally, to assist in creating further opportunities for UAE nationals, and we have placed a strong emphasis on our brand and culture. This is not only vital for their own growth but also for the company’s business strategy.

By ensuring that our colleagues fully understanding the hotel’s origins and identity, we will create a strong base for their personal development, they will feel engaged with the brand and feel empowered with the knowledge that will enable them to grow within their career.