EllisDon establishes Emirati Internship Program

EllisDon, a major contributor to the Middle East landscape for over 14 years, has implemented a new program that provides international students from the UAE with work experience. Initiated by the company’s Middle East vice-presidents, Daniel Murphy and Wissam Ayoub, EllisDon hosted its first student as part of the Emirati Internship Initiative.

“EllisDon has a much broader vision for this program than just employing the two students ourselves,” said Murphy. “We plan to take a leadership role in getting other Canadian construction and engineering firms operating in the UAE to participate over the coming years. The trade and investment relationship between Canada and the UAE has never been stronger so we want to ensure this momentum continues.”

Supported by the Canadian-UAE Business Council and the UAE Ministry of Education, the Emirati Internship Initiative provides Emirati students with meaningful work experience with Canadian companies such as EllisDon. For EllisDon, it is an opportunity to continue to enhance relationships with the UAE government and partners as the company continues to boast a strong presence in the region. 

As part of the initiative, students are placed into roles that align with their interests and academic disciplines. EllisDon committed to hosting two students annually for a four month period. One of the first students to take part in the program was Jamal Alsabt, an international student from Dubai, enrolled in the Sustainable and Renewable Energy program at Carleton University in Ottawa.

“The Emirati Internship Program is a way for EllisDon to give back to the UAE and help develop the young Emirati Engineers aspiring to become the future leaders in their fields. It is also an opportunity for them to learn best practices through our operation in Canada with the potential to engage them in the UAE,” said Ayoub.

Alsabt secured a position with the Sustainable Building Services (SBS) department headed by global director Andrew Bowerbank. Over the course of his four-month internship, Jamal was immersed in all facets of the company and took on numerous major projects including a recently published report that discusses innovations in technologies used in construction in relation to sustainable practices.

The internship is a significant stepping stone for UAE students to gain highly valued international work experience and build relationships with partners globally and locally.

“I would like to give a special thanks to Mr. Andrew Bowerbank for all the duties he assigned to me, which improved my skills in many different ways,” said Alsabt. “Also, I would like to thank Mr. Daniel Murphy and Mr. Wissam Ayoub for welcoming me in EllisDon’s office in Dubai. Finally, if I would like to add that I really wish I knew about this internship initiative since my first year in Canada.”

SOURCE EllisDon Corporation