The economic crisis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic has caused companies across the board to shrink operations, leading to furloughs and even layoffs in some cases. With hiring sluggish, many professionals are now in a tough situation.
Longer-term as well, with AI and automation expected to revolutionise the future workplace, many existing jobs could become redundant.
In such a scenario, how can professionals ensure their skillsets remain relevant?
One answer lies in upskilling.
Upskilling can boost employability prospects, open up new career avenues and future-proof your job. For employers, investing in the development of your employees will directly improve the prospects of your own company in an ever-changing landscape.
In this special webinar, organised in association with Heriot-Watt University, you can learn how to upskill yourself to ensure employability and strong career growth. We also explore how and why upskilling is extremely relevant not just in the current situation, but also for the future.
Join our webinar to learn how and why upskilling is important for your career.
Date: Monday | June 22, 2020
Time: 2.00pm Gulf Standard Time
Speakers
Professor Ammar Kaka, Provost and Vice Principal, Heriot-Watt University Dubai
Professor Ammar Kaka is the Provost of Heriot Watt University Dubai Campus. Within Heriot Watt University, he holds the position of Vice Principal and the Professor of Construction Economics and Management. In 2008 he was also allocated the title the William Watson Chair of Building Engineering.
Professor Kaka’s contribution to the transnational education in general and to the Dubai’s education hub in particular has been immense. With a student population of 4000 and a growing research culture, the Dubai campus is currently recognised as one of UK’s leading provider of transnational education.
Professor Kaka has an international reputation for research on the assessment, planning and control of construction projects. Author of more than a hundred research papers, he has held numerous funded research grants with impact demonstrated by the extent of citation and direct industrial application. He is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and member of the editorial boards of a number of international academic journals. He has supervised more than 25 PhD students to completion, many of which have developed into senior roles in governments, industry and academia.
Dr. Paul Hopkinson, Associate Head of Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai
Dr. Paul Hopkinson is Associate Head of Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai
and an Associate Professor in Marketing. Dr Hopkinson’s interests and expertise lie in the areas of digital marketing and digital transformation particularly in the context of managing customer relationships.
He leads the University’s Master’s in International Marketing (with Digital Marketing) and has published
several recent papers on the role of AI in customer relationship management.
Dr. Hopkinson moved to Heriot-Watt Dubai in August 2013. He was previously at the University of Gloucestershire where he completed a PhD in Marketing and held several leadership roles, including undergraduate Director of Studies (Marketing) and MBA Programme Director. He was also a
part-time member of faculty for the University of Birmingham and an external examiner for the
University of Greenwich (PG Marketing programmes).
Sabih Khisaf, Chairman of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Dr. Sabih has more thirty-five years’ experience in the design and construction of rail infrastructure
and infrastructure development programs in the UK, Europe and most recently in the Middle East.
Transport modes include: Ports, Airport, Metro, Light Rail (LRT), Tram, and Regional Railways, project management and planning, project engineering, design, construction and maintenance in the
construction industry.
Dr. Sabih has extensive experience in the design and construction of civil and heavy civil infrastructure projects, such as Heathrow Terminal 5 in London, Khalifa Port and Khlifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi,
Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon, A13 DBFO Project in London, Metro operation, London Underground
(Tube Lines, London), program management for the development of multi-mode transit systems
(e.g. Abu Dhabi’s US$ 32-billion Integrated Public Transport Program), as the Civil Infrastructure Design Manager, Metro Design, Doha Metro and recently, Head of Engineering with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies MENA Region.