One third of the 1,200 staff working at the Motiongate theme park, opening in Dubai in October, will be Emirati, according to The National.
The 400 UAE nationals at Motiongate will be employed in a variety of roles, including running ticket booths, operating rides, interacting with visitors, in addition to management positions.
Motiongate assistant show manager Alia Al Marri said: “It’s going to change the dynamic of how Emiratis represent themselves. It will normalise it for us to be out there in operations."
“I worked in a hotel reception for six months and it wasn’t normal for people to see that, but visitors want to interact with locals. This will change everything and people will be more comfortable in joining these kinds of positions, especially women, when they see more of us."
Motiongate assistant manager of VIP tours and events Aisha Al Abbasi added: “It’s nice to show people a different side of Emiratis, to be the face of these major attractions. It’s a chance to show other Emiratis that it’s OK for us to be in these positions.
“It’s very important for us to be represented. So many expatriates haven’t ever interacted with a local so it’s nice for us to be in the front line and show them who we are, especially as women."
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Dubai Parks and Resorts senior vice president Aida Hamza said: “We believe our country has a wealth of talent and our Emirati colleagues will add value to all areas of our business,"
“The main challenge we have faced is awareness. The theme park industry in the region is in its infancy, and therefore is not always a natural consideration for many Emiratis when planning a career. We have been working hard to raise the profile of this flourishing industry and to spread the word about the exciting and diverse career opportunities the industry offers.”
Motiongate is one of six attractions at Dubai Parks and Resorts development - a further 600 Emiratis will be employed at the other five attractions.
The company is aiming for a third of the staff throughout the development to be UAE nationals.
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