Increasing levels of Emiratisation in the private sector could help to boost top talent in the cyber security industry, a senior executive of telecoms equipment maker Huawei has said.
The cyber security industry in the UAE will be able to plug a talent gap by introducing carefully-designed incentives and expanding the Emirati workforce, said Aloysius Cheang, chief security officer for the UAE at Huawei.
"Jobs in cyber security is a hot market, and we have a severe shortage in manpower. We need to do capacity building in cyber security, and we need to train more people and retain the people we train within the system," Mr Cheang told The National at the Gulf Information Security Expo and Conference in Dubai.
"A concern that we have is that after you train people in the UAE, they may stay for a short while [and] then leave for overseas."
The UAE is boosting jobs for the Emirati workforce, particularly within the private sector, as the country seeks to diversify its economy. Last month, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the government will provide “additional incentives” to companies supporting the employment of citizens.
In September 2021, the UAE launched a series of initiatives to increase the number of Emirati private sector workers by 75,000, by 2026, as part of the Nafis programme and the broader Projects of the 50 development plan launched earlier that month. In December, it was announced that more than 2,000 Emiratis joined the private sector through Nafis.
"A strong cyber security posture and framework is a critical component for the Projects of the 50," Mr Cheang said.
The government's efforts to improve the labour market are bearing fruit. Emirati professionals are increasingly turning to the private sector for career progression, said a recent report by recruitment consultancy Michael Page.
Jobs in the technology sector are also among the most sought-after, which can be rewarding. A cyber security architect, for example, can potentially earn anywhere from Dh41,000 ($11,164) to Dh52,000 per month in 2022 in the UAE, figures compiled by recruitment agency Cooper Fitch show.
But Emiratisation is not the only solution to retain talent, said Mr Cheang, who earlier delivered a keynote at Gisec.
"There is a need to create a road map for a technical career, because there is room to grow for the talents that are already in the UAE, rather than keep them stagnant," he said.
A concern that we have is that after you train people in the UAE, they may stay for a short while then leave for overseas for better jobs elsewhere
Aloysius Cheang,
chief security officer for the UAE at Huawei
"And there should also be what we call industry captains — top leaders in cyber security who will mentor those in the lower levels who aspire to go up the ranks."
The pace of digitalisation will require all stakeholders, not just governments but also industries, taking the lead to create a stable ecosystem, Mr Cheang said.
More professionals are also needed in cyber security as the risks of cyber warfare grows amid the continuing Russian military offensive in Ukraine.
"Last year people were talking about ransomware; now we’re talking about state-sponsored attacks as well. There’s a lot of spillover that can happen from a cyber conflict," Mr Cheang said.
"You can’t control the precise target of what will be hit by a physical attack — let alone a cyber attack."
How Alia's experiment will help humans get to Mars
Alia’s winning experiment examined how genes might change under the stresses caused by being in space, such as cosmic radiation and microgravity.
Her samples were placed in a machine on board the International Space Station. called a miniPCR thermal cycler, which can copy DNA multiple times.
After the samples were examined on return to Earth, scientists were able to successfully detect changes caused by being in space in the way DNA transmits instructions through proteins and other molecules in living organisms.
Although Alia’s samples were taken from nematode worms, the results have much bigger long term applications, especially for human space flight and long term missions, such as to Mars.
It also means that the first DNA experiments using human genomes can now be carried out on the ISS.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
England's lowest Test innings
- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887
- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994
- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
