‘Nafis’ in Arabic, means ‘to compete’ and is associated with names given to newborn babies, also meaning ‘precious’ or ‘lucky’. The meaning has been significant to lead the new campaign called “NAFIS. Your way campaign” by Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC). The campaign is planned to focus on the achievements of Emiratis around the UAE in private companies ranging from engineering to healthcare.

About the Campaign 
The foundation of the campaign goes back to 13 September 2021, when NAFIS was part of “Projects of the 50” by the UAE government, which aimed to support Emiratis to pursue their professional careers in the private sector. Alongside an ambitious target of creating 75,000 jobs in the private sector by 2025, the UAE government has also individually announced 10% Emiratization in the private sector by 2025 in skilled and knowledge-based roles.

Assistance in Career and Support measures 
As far as assistance in career is concerned, the scheme offers the following assistance: -
● Career counselling: Connecting with HR experts to receive counselling on how to choose the right career path that fits your expectations and exploring useful guides on job searching, CV writing and interview skills 
● An apprentice program: For fresh graduates to get into twelve months of vocational training with a private sector employer
● Healthcare professionals: To develop 100,000 workers in the next five years
● Recruitment Portal: Whereby Emirati national can connect private sector employees, who have signed agreements with NAFIS
● Unemployment Benefit: Even job losses beyond your control can fetch you an unemployment benefit for up to 6 months.
● Child Allowance: Emirati nationals may claim up to AED 800 per child up to a maximum of AED 3,200 per month for child-related expenses up to the age of 21. 

Subsidies 
The State pensions are given in different categories as follows: -
● Emirati Salary Support Scheme: The Scheme focus on two elements: -
1. For employees already in employment: - A top-up payment of AED 5,000 a month.
2. Pension Subsidy: The government will pay (on a rebate basis) state contributions for the first five years if the salary of the employee is less than AED 20,000 a month.
3. For new graduates on training programs: - A payment of AED 8,000 a month to new graduates in the first year of employment.
● Merit Program: Specific professions including accountancy, nursing, financial auditors, financial analysts, lawyers and coders with high payment per month.

Hope from the New structure
Alongside these schemes, a structure has been founded to facilitate these programs under the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council. Moreover, a hope for a diverse range can be observed from fresh graduates aspiring for startups to public sector employees planning to retire who can aspire for jobs in the private sector. Risk arises when a federal government employee visions his own business, but now UAE nationals can apply for sabbaticals at 50% of their salary for six to twelve months to start their businesses. Conclusively, Nafis with its symbolic essence can turn out to be ‘precious’ for the Council and ‘lucky’ for many fresh job seekers in UAE.

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