Abu Dhabi pushes AI-ready workforce strategy through Mawaheb talent hub

The Department of Government Enablement in Abu Dhabi is accelerating efforts to build an AI-ready workforce through the Mawaheb Talent Hub, an initiative that trained more than 10,000 people and facilitated over 6,000 job placements in 2025 alone. The hub — which has expanded its reach into Al Ain and Al Dhafra — combines upskilling, career development and direct employer matching to prepare Emirati talent for emerging economic demands and strategic sectors.

"an integrated platform designed to go beyond conventional hiring models," the Mawaheb Talent Hub says on its objectives, highlighting a shift from simple recruitment toward sustained workforce development and labour-market alignment.

The hub offers a range of programmes including career counselling, specialised training and remote-work initiatives run in collaboration with firms such as G42. It has also staged open hiring events to connect job seekers directly with employers across industries, a model that contributed to the platform’s reported scale of impact during 2025.

Partnerships and programme details

• Academic alliances: Khalifa University and ADGM Academy, focused on closing skill gaps and developing sector-specific competencies.
• Industry partners: ADNOC and Mubadala, which help align talent pipelines with strategic energy and investment sectors.
• Global technology collaborators: Microsoft, Binance and LinkedIn, providing advanced training in digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
• Private-sector collaborations: programmes and remote-work initiatives delivered with firms including G42.

The Department of Government Enablement frames Mawaheb as a response to shifting labour-market needs rather than a traditional recruitment portal. By linking training to placement and expanding geographic access into Abu Dhabi’s Al Ain and Al Dhafra regions, the hub aims to widen meaningful employment opportunities while targeting areas of strategic national interest.

Looking ahead, officials plan to roll out an AI-driven platform intended to "identify skill gaps and guide talent into high-demand roles." That platform is part of a broader timetable in which the department expects "several advanced applications" to be launched by 2027, signalling a move to embed machine learning and automation in workforce planning and talent-matching processes.

For employers, the hub’s model promises a more predictable pipeline of candidates whose skills are shaped to sector needs; for jobseekers, the emphasis on counselling, specialised training and direct employer engagement is designed to reduce friction between training and employment. The combination of government direction, academic input and global tech partnerships positions Mawaheb as a central element of Abu Dhabi’s strategy to align human capital with AI-driven economic transformation.