RTA unleashes Phase III of Qiyadi Program for honing leadership skills

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has recently attended the launch of Phase III of the program for developing leadership potentials branded as Qiyadi 3, featuring participation of 52 Emirati employees from various agencies and sectors of the RTA among the incumbents of Grades 11, 12 and 13. The program, which aims to bring about a paradigm knowledge shift in the strategic thinking of RTA Emirati leaders, is held for the first time in collaboration with the American University in Sharjah.

The launch ceremony, which was held in RTA Auditorium, was attended by a myriad of CEOs, Directors and Managers of the RTA as well as experts overseeing the delivery of the Program from the American University in Sharjah.

Commenting on the Program Al Tayer said: "The launch of Qiyadi 3 is envisioned in RTA's Strategic Plan which has set out strategic goals including "RTA Development" through qualifying human resources, raising the competitive edge in attracting high-class professionals, nurturing a comprehensive system for employees motivation & retention, and caring for honing their skills scientifically and practically.

"The RTA has fostered a perfect environment for career progression and paved the way for young Emirati cadres to take up key leadership positions capable of contributing to realizing the ambitious vision and strategic objectives of the RTA. Qiyadi 3 encompasses a systematic scientific review of abilities to assist leveraging the skills & knowledge of participants in order to groom them for assuming roles & responsibilities of administrative positions.

"The third edition of the Program aims to uplift the abilities and skills of the third and third ranks of talented employees in Grades 11 to 13 to groom them for assuming responsibilities of higher job grades," said Al Tayer.

At the end of the event, Al Tayer called upon affiliates of the Program to benefit from the contents of the Program as well as the hand-picked experts overseeing the Program as this will have a positive bearing on their skills, as well as their future and career progression. He recalled that the RTA had invested huge funds in administering this Program out of its belief that investment in human resources was second to none.

For his part Dr. Thomas J. Hochstettler, Acting Chancellor, American University of Sharjah, reiterated the importance of cooperation with the RTA being one of the best and most important entities in the UAE; which in turn would contribute to realizing the strategic vision of stakeholders in creating a positive and permanent impact capable of bringing about a host of dividends in future. He stressed the relentless endeavours of the American University in Sharjah to forge partnerships with several entities in a bid to explore and develop sustainable interests not only in the UAE but across the entire region.

Kawther Kazim, Director of RTA Human Resources and Development, said: "The RTA has mapped out standards and procedures for selecting distinguished employees for participating in the Program which include: high score in the assessment of results of the annual individual performance plan (IPP), high academic qualifications, individual performance level in the Department as a whole and the Section in particular, nature & scope of practical experience in the RTA, and recommendation of line manager.

"All participants in the Program will be subjected to intensive events & activities over 10 months starting September 2013. The Program encompasses a host of events such as case studies, assuming roles, orientation, individual training, workshops in addition to individual and collective projects. Such a Program is bound to contribute to honing employees excellence and add to their career successes which will empower them at a later stage in personnel management, sorting out problems, taking decisions, self-development, teamwork, strategic thinking, planning and management of meetings. The Program will therefore enable them to identify their latent talents through offering new professional hypotheses and building the culture of trust & loyalty that leads to a lasting success at the professional and personal levels," said Kawther in a concluding remark.