The Customs Training Center has announced that it achieved positive results in the first half of 2013 in terms of the number of specialized training courses and the participation rate, attained benefits and satisfaction derived from these courses.
Mrs. Feryal Tawakul, Director of the Dubai Customs Training Center Department, reported the details of these results. She explained that the results were achieved by virtue of a comprehensive training plan for 2013, which focuses on capacity-building and the development of personnel technical skills. The plan relies primarily on customs training courses followed by administrative and specialized sessions. She noted that the center has developed its training plan in compliance with the strategy of Dubai Customs, which aims to achieve a balance between security enhancement and legitimate trade facilitation.
Mrs. Tawakul added that the Customs Training Center seeks to qualify all trainees to work at the level of the highest performance standards, and to achieve professionalism at all levels. The center also seeks to reinforce the concept of excellence as part of the institutional culture of Dubai Customs. The center is eager to use and qualify internal resources and maintain their sustainability in order to transfer the knowledge in all customs, management, and specialized fields. This is in accordance with the instructions of the top management to focus on the training of internal human resources in order to raise their technical, management, and leadership capabilities to global standards. The top management’s instructions are in line with the directives of the Dubai Government, which aims to promote the emirate's position and make it a global hub for business and investment.
The 2013 plan of the Customs Training Center targeted all job grades and included 91% of the Dubai Customs staff. The Centre has achieved tangible results in the first half of the year as it managed to increase its score in the number of training courses in general during this period by 65%.
The Customs Training Centre has also achieved an increase in the number of course participants during the first half of 2013 by 87% compared to the same period last year.
Customs training courses accounted for 71% of the total training hours during the first half of 2013 with an increase of 120% compared to the same period of last year, while the administrative courses percentage accounts for 23% and the specialized courses percentage accounts for 6% of the total training hours with an increase of 46% in the number of administrative and specialized training hours, compared to the same period of last year.
The percentage of the number of implemented sessions by third parties has reached 73%, while the percentage of courses implemented by internal trainers has reached 27%. The Centre is concerned about the provision of high quality courses; and the selection of session content which is in compliance with the training requirements of the Customs Department and ensures the achievement of its stated objectives.
The average planned training hours per employee was 36 hours, while the average number of executed hours per employee was 62.5 hours.
According to the evaluation of the training courses, the satisfaction level is 4.64 out of 5 total points.
Based on gender, 66% of courses participants were males while 34% were females.
The Customs Training Center is eager to perform tests before and after training sessions in order to measure the benefits achieved by each program. For the first time, it has introduced new procedures to assess the knowledge level of the trainees, such as the electronic program to assess the technical skills of the staff prior to their enrolment in any of the courses. This enables personnel to be enrolled in the appropriate training program. These procedures also ensure that they obtain an added value in terms of institutional performance in general and individual performance in particular.
The Customs Training Center is currently working to convert its training programs to smart training programs, in line with the Smart Government initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The first stage of the smart training application is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2013.
Mrs. Feryal Tawakul emphasized that the Customs Training Center is keen to establish strategic associations with various international organizations and universities to launch accredited customs programs at a global professional level. It is also enthusiastic to establish strategic partnerships with various local and federal institutions and entities to improve the customs business and strengthen security in the UAE. These strategic partnerships also aim to strengthen competitiveness in the field of customs clearance and provide cross-border services.
It is worth mentioning that the Columbus Report issued by the World Customs Organization (WCO) has pointed out that the courses and programs offered by the Dubai Customs Training Center are implemented according to the best practices in the field of training. The WCO recommended that Dubai Customs Training Center be considered a model to be replicated for the benefit of stakeholders throughout the region.