Developing UAE National talent takes more than classroom training. Here’s how Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) partnered with us at Ignite Training to design a 12-month leadership development journey where we focused on building the skills, confidence, and mindset for long-term success.
Building the UAE’s Leadership Pipeline
As the UAE works towards Vision 2071, it’s clear that sustainable talent development takes time. With the right structure, room to grow, and meaningful challenges, graduates step into the workplace ready not only to contribute, but to lead with confidence and capability.
Long-term learning pathways give people the rhythm to practise, reflect, and build habits that last. They extend the value of traditional training, creating something deeper, more human, and ultimately more powerful.
The LEAP (Learn. Engage. Adapt. Perform) programme with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) demonstrates how a 12-month graduate development journey can intentionally support Emiratisation goals while building lasting capability and confidence in the workplace.
What is LEAP?
LEAP (Learn. Engage. Adapt. Perform.) is a 12-month graduate development programme. It is designed to support Emiratisation priorities by helping graduates move confidently from university into the workplace. The programme develops professional capability, builds leadership potential and strengthens long-term retention, making it one of the UAE’s most established and impactful National graduate development pathways.
Co-created with EGA, LEAP has already supported nearly 200 UAE National graduates. The programme consistently achieves engagement levels of over 90 percent, with measurable impact on leadership capability, growth, and retention.
At its core is a practical, people-centred methodology. Our Four Pillars of Transformation are designed to activate potential, embed learning, and deliver results that last in any graduate development programme.
Strategic Foundation Building
Long-term learning programmes are most effective when they begin with intention. Strategic foundation building ensures every development journey starts with a clear sense of purpose, direction, and connection to the real-world environment participants are stepping into
Instead of focusing narrowly on skill gaps, this stage designs learning that is grounded in the future of the business and the leadership it will require. That means co-creating with stakeholders from the very start.
In LEAP’s case, we worked closely with EGA to align the programme with their industrial strategy, sustainability goals, and leadership vision. This gave graduates clarity, confidence, and real-world relevance from day one.
Multi-Modal Learning
In any workplace, people learn in different ways. Multi-modal learning recognises this by offering multiple opportunities to absorb, practise, and apply new skills. It is a blended, people-first approach that adapts to where learners are and how they grow.
This approach brings together workshops, one-to-one coaching, group sessions, and mentoring, thoughtfully combined to accelerate capability and encourage real behaviour change.
Within LEAP, every module of the programme follows this approach. Experiential learning is paired with practical application and guided reflection. The Learning Transfer Platform (LTP supports participants to apply skills in real time while staying connected with their peers. This rhythm, and the variety it creates, is what helps knowledge move off the page and into action.
Reinforcement Strategies & Habit Building
In long-term learning programmes, reinforcement plays a key role in helping new behaviours last. Progress comes through rhythm, reflection, and regular practice.
Habit-building tools make learning stick, particularly in extended development journeys. From the very start of LEAP, mechanisms such as regular coaching check-ins, peer sharing, and digital prompts are included to encourage learners to apply new skills in their real professional situations.
In practice, this happens weekly. Participants use the LTP to reflect on how they are applying key skills in the workplace. This steady rhythm maintains visibility, builds accountability, and helps new behaviours become part of daily work.
Measurable Impact
Clear outcomes are essential in any long-term learning pathway. Data should show more than attendance. It needs to demonstrate growth, capability, and change over time.
This is why we track indicators that go beyond participation:
- Attendance and engagement across modules, using session logs and platform analytics.
- Use of coaching and mentoring, captured through booking data and participation logs.
- Real-time skills application on the job, supported by weekly digital prompts and reflective surveys.
- Growth in emotional intelligence and communication, measured through pre- and post-programme self-assessments and peer feedback.
In LEAP, these insights do more than report progress. They allow us to fine-tune the journey and strengthen what works. By focusing on impact, graduate development programmes remain relevant, people-centred, and built for lasting results.
EGA’s LEAP Journey: From Insight to Impact
The Challenge
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) [EXTERNAL LINK TO EGA WEBSITE], a global leader in aluminium and the UAE’s largest industrial company outside oil and gas, wanted to accelerate the development of its UAE National graduates. Onboarding covered the basics, but did not fully prepare graduates for the high-performance, precision-led environment they were entering.
Beyond technical knowledge, EGA recognised that graduates also needed workplace confidence, a strong professional identity, and essential soft skills to thrive.
The Solution
EGA partnered with Ignite Training to co-design a 12-month graduate development programme tailored to its business and culture. The solution included:
- Consultation with stakeholders across the business
- Alignment with Emiratisation and leadership priorities
- A structured curriculum focused on behavioural capability
Nine leadership themes were delivered through a blend of workshops, coaching, and mentoring, supported by digital engagement tools to embed learning.
Being part of the LEAP program really helped build my confidence. I’ve developed my leadership skills, learned how to communicate better with my team, prioritise my work, and grow my support network.
The Results
- 91% average session attendance across cohorts
- 97% of participants rated content effective and relevant
- 15% average growth in emotional intelligence
- 20% improvement in communication effectiveness
- 18% increase in performance ratings across key competencies
Perhaps most importantly, graduates stepped confidently into bigger roles. Retention rose, job satisfaction improved, and internal mobility increased
What Makes LEAP Different?
Designed for cultural alignment: LEAP respects and supports Emirati identity while preparing participants for diverse professional environments.
Multi-touchpoint learning: Digital, in-person, and peer learning combine to keep engagement high throughout the journey.
Adaptable across industries: From aviation to fintech to healthcare, LEAPS’s framework can be shaped to fit different organisational contexts.
Who Are Long-Term Learning Pathways For?
Long-term learning pathways are ideal for organisations focused on:
- Nationalisation initiatives
- Graduate development programmes
- Building future leaders sustainably
- Strengthening the leadership pipeline
Sectors already applying or adapting these approaches include:
- Manufacturing & Petrochemicals: Safety, precision, and technical leadership
- Aviation & Aerospace: Risk awareness, reliability, and communication
- Technology & AI: Agile decision-making and cross-functional collaboration
- Healthcare: Interdisciplinary teamwork and compliance with regulation
- Government: Public sector transformation and effective policy execution
Quick Snapshot
- 200+ graduates developed
- 90%+ engagement maintained across all programme cohorts
- 15% average growth in emotional intelligence, measured through self-assessments and feedback
- 20% improvement in communication effectiveness across teams
- 18% increase in performance ratings across key leadership competencies
Final Takeaway
When talent development is strategic, focused on behaviour and sustained over time, it. Delivers real results.
EGA’s story shows how embedding a long-term learning pathway creates measurable impact. With the right structure and reinforcement, organisations can build capability, strengthen confidence, and develop future leaders who are ready to contribute.
Want to Learn More?
Discover how long-term pathways create lasting impact when they are designed with intention. Explore Ignite Training’s approach or speak with us about building a pathway that fits your organisation.
This article is part of our Spark Journal series, where we share real-world stories of transformation, strategy, and the human side of learning.
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