EGA says it wants to continue to inspire interest in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and maths, including sustainable mobility after it reached more than 6,000 students in 2022.
Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, says that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics experts are essential for the achievement of the goals of the UAE’s Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy and UAE Centennial 2071.
EGA itself employs some 1,500 people in these fields, including more than 500 UAE Nationals.
EGA’s ‘Engineer the Future’ programme aims to encourage school students’ continuing studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by explaining their real-life application in industry. The programme reached more than 5,000 students from grades 9 to 12 in 2022, at over 20 schools. ‘Engineer the Future’ is delivered in partnership with Emirates Schools Establishment.
‘Engineer the Future’ also includes a practical competition, ‘The EGA Aluminium Design and Innovation Challenge’. Some 86 student teams have already signed up to participate, and complete a project using aluminium in sustainable mobility, architecture, product design or green solutions. BMW Group is a partner in the sustainability mobility part of the challenge.
EGA’s Ambassador Programme, which supports university students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to consider careers in industry, reached almost 1,000 students in 2022 at educational institutions including The American University of Sharjah, Emirates Aviation University, and Higher Colleges of Technology. EGA’s Ambassador Programme is led by young Emirati EGA engineers and professionals.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO, Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “EGA is built on science, technology, engineering and mathematics and we have both an interest and a responsibility in more young people studying and ultimately pursuing careers in these fields. I am glad that in 2022 we were able to inspire so many youth in their studies and career aspirations through these programmes.”
EGA also runs an annual industrial robotics competition that challenges students from UAE universities and higher education institutions to design and build industrial robots for use at EGA’s aluminium smelters. The 2022 edition was won by a team from the College of Engineering at United Arab Emirates University.
