GEMS Education today celebrated the first milestone in its ambition to transform the life chances of students across its network of schools through its flagship programme to build links between schools and industry.
GEMS is convinced that an outstanding education is no longer enough – serious schools now need to be building value partnerships between students and industry globally. The initiative, which has today seen over 7,500 students across 24 schools in the GEMS Network gain direct experience working in industry, is also creating one of the world’s most powerful school alumni networks to ensure that GEMS students have lifelong access to peers at blue chip companies and the spectrum of industries for their whole working lives.
Partner firms include Al Ansari, Morgan Stanley, Investec, Microsoft, Chalhoub Group, KPMG, Saudi German Hospital, Hourani Law, and the DP World Tour (golf).
Through its partnerships GEMS Education today has access to student opportunities in blue chips ranging from Deloitte, JP Morgan, Google, EY and Tesla to Slack, Capital One Blackrock and a plethora of major UAE giants of business and industry.
To date GEMS Education partners range from across the financial, business consultancy, luxury retail, medical, entrepreneurship and leisure sectors, through links with 35 world-class corporate titans of industry and commerce.
Programs are delivered in part through two high value GEMS Education partnerships:
- iX LaunchPad – the Career Exploration & Micro-Internship Programme designed to give high school students access to industry professionals, future-focused career exploration, and real-world experience.
- Y . SPOT – a UAE based organisation established to revolutionise the relationship between organisations and Youth
Pictured: GEMS student Maria Olivenca proudly receiving her Medical sector internship certificate from Dr Nicholas Asp at a special Y . SPOT presentation in Dubai
The “GEMS for Life” programme was established in late 2021 to leverage the might of GEMS Education’s schools and students to deliver the highest calibre of human capital for industry.
Matthew Tompkins, Director of Students Employment, GEMS Education, with Eimear McKenna Singh, Business Development Director for Schoolscompared.com and Which Media Group
Matthew Tompkins, GEMS’ Director of Student Employment, is well known in UAE education for his transformation of GEMS FirstPoint School in Dubai, a school in which he leveraged new industry partnerships and the latest developments in subject and qualification pathways, including British BTEC, to drive the success of his students. Mr Tomkins told SchoolsCompared:
“At GEMS Education we understand that to deliver an outstanding school we need to empower our students with the experience and contacts to build powerful, life-changing careers. Our students are some of the most talented in the world – they will graduate from our schools to make a difference in the world. This programme speeds up that process.”
“This is a ground-breaking, power-house programme in UAE education. It is important, unique and a game change for students seeking to leverage their education to access the biggest and best opportunities in business and industry globally – and for life.”
“The process is also two-way. Industry needs the best available human capital. GEMS Education plays a key role delivering that.“
Mr Tompkins continued:
“Employment experience is one of three key pillars in the GEMS For Life programme, which offers GEMS students and families support throughout their school careers and later lives. The initiative delivers unique GEMS Education benefits that prepare and sustain students through:
- partnerships with more than 180 universities around the world;
- exclusive access to the GEMS Alumni Network that now numbers more than 20,000 active subscribers worldwide with further countless links to thousands of firms and individuals;
- opening up to GEMS students key overseas industry partnerships, including those in the UK and Switzerland;
- links for GEMS students with more than 13 training delivery partners (some of the best in the world); and,
- affording GEMS students access to vital and lucrative scholarships.”
Mr Tompkins explained:
“As GEMS students transition to university, the programme offers over AED 300m worth of scholarships, exclusively available for GEMS students, and then, as they plot their course through life, our Alumni network is there to support at every step of the journey.”
Mr Tompkins summarised:
“It is a privilege to work alongside our students, industry partners and universities to provide support of this level to the whole of our extended GEMS family.”
Pictured: Essa Al Mulla, Chief of National Work Force Development at the Emirates National Development Programme
Essa Al Mulla, Chief of National Work Force Development at the Emirates National Development Programme, clarified:
“The United Arab Emirates has been working from day one towards building people and developing their capabilities and knowledge.”
From this standpoint, we are working with our partners to develop distinct training and educational programmes that serve students in different stages of education, especially from the age of 15 and above, to suit their hobbies and career interests in the future.”
Avid Alizadeh, a student at GEMS Wellington International School, who attended an internship focusing on digital user experience design, told SchoolsCompared:
“This internship really helped me recognise my strengths and fit for industry.
It has also, importantly, given me clarity, and confidence, in both my future career path and my future in global business and industry.”
Further information
You can read more about GEMS for Life here.
You can access GEMS Education corporate here.
Read more about two of GEMS Education expert partners, i X LaunchPad and Y – Spot.
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