Step-by-step guide for kids aged 15-18 years
Members of diverse fraternities in the UAE have welcomed the federal decision allowing students aged 15 and above to soon work in the country under a temporary visa scheme.

The new provision for students will enable them to gain some experience, while adding value to the UAE economy.

Hailing it as a “great initiative”, community members have lauded the UAE government for the reform, which was announced earlier this month as part of the Projects of the 50.

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For their part, education experts have said that “connecting the worlds of learning and work” by collaborating with industry leaders is vital to better prepare young people for future work and life.

Simon Herbert, CEO at GEMS International School – Al Khail, said the move will allow young people to gain “a taste of real-life employment”.

“In the modern world, where our young are sheltered from so much, it is heartening to hear of an initiative that will allow them to gain an insight into working life, albeit on a small scale.

“Our students will benefit by seeing how tough it is to work for a living, and applying what they have learned in school to real-world situations. Society too will benefit by impressing upon its young that earning a wage, budgeting and contributing to a workplace are valuable in their own right, not simply through a theoretical educational lens.”

Matthew Tompkins, Principal/CEO, GEMS FirstPoint School, noted the move was an “excellent step forward” — and recalled how his own part-time work experience as a young man helped him try different things.

Here, he speaks about why bringing the classroom and workplace together has broad public benefits.

Meanwhile, youngsters in the country opined that earlier exposure to the workplace would help them make informed decisions pertaining to future career choices.

Ishan Vaish, a student of The Millennium School, Dubai, said, “Gaining work experience at a young age and also having the opportunity to earn a little money will give us a sense of independence. It will help us understand the value of money and budgeting as well as teach us how the economy works.”

Vaish believes teens with access to the job market will be able to build skills and gain clarity on the kind of career they'd like to pursue in the future. "The initiative will help us learn important values — and help set us apart when we apply to colleges. We would be able to develop key skills, such as time management, allowing for effective preparation for full-time employment,” the the 17-year-old added.

Kshiraj Mahtani, a 16-year-old student of Gems World Academy, is keen to find out how the initiative develops — and has some enterprising ideas of his own.

Similarly, Hale Education Group student Sanaa Carrimjee, 16, highlights that younger people may have an alternative viewpoint to solving industry problems because of a digital-savvy generation and greater exposure.

How students aged 15 and above can apply for the permits

Work permits for students in the UAE can be obtained through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation website.

The authority offers the service for “any establishment to recruit a national or foreign worker in the age category of 15-18 years and residing in the country”.

The permit is valid for a period not exceeding one year.