Emirates Group Takes Cadet Pilot and Engineering Schemes to Ru’ya

The Emirates Group took its recruitment drive for UAE nationals to Ru’ya Careers UAE, scheduled at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 to 30 September 2026, with roles across Emirates airline and dnata. The group announced its participation on 25 September.

Its 300-square-metre stand in Zabeel Hall 3 was aimed at a wide audience: school leavers, university graduates, early-career professionals and experienced people thinking about a career change.

Nine ways in

The group listed nine routes for Emiratis:

• National Cadet Pilot Programme
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Licence (AMEL) Programme
• IT Graduate Programme
• Khatwaty High School Graduate Programme
• Cabin Crew
• Graduate Programme
• Outstation Programme
• Experienced Professionals
• Internships

Roles cover flight operations, engineering, airport services, cargo, technology, data, commercial, customer experience and corporate functions. The group linked the wider range of jobs to the ongoing development of Al Maktoum International Airport and the continued growth of Emirates and dnata.

Yousuf bin Lahej, Vice President, Emiratisation and Government Relations, said the group tries to reach Emiratis early, through career fairs, school visits and open days, well before they apply.

What the flagship schemes deliver

The two technical routes on the list have long records. Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA), which Emirates opened in 2017, trains National Cadet Pilot Programme cadets with no previous flying experience. At its sixth graduation in December 2025, 77 cadets earned their wings. Of these, 52 were from the national programme and 25 came from 15 other countries. EFTA says it has graduated more than 300 cadets in five years, and most now fly or train on Emirates’ widebody fleet. The academy operates 32 training aircraft.

The AMEL scholarship dates back to 1989. When the group last opened admissions publicly, in October 2023, it said more than 800 Emiratis had graduated from the programme. The fully sponsored course then lasted five and a half years in two phases. It led to a GCAA certificate from the Emirates Engineering Training College and a Higher Diploma from Emirates Aviation University.

Regional context

Other Gulf carriers ran similar campaigns over the same weeks. In Bahrain, Gulf Air and Bahrain Airport Company said on 23 September that more than 230 young people had completed their summer internship and youth programmes. In Saudi Arabia, flynas began exams on 12 September for a Future Pilots intake planned at 300 trainees.

The Emirates Group’s offer stands out for its breadth. It spans the flight deck, the hangar, IT, airports, cargo and head-office roles, so a single visit to the stand could lead to very different careers.