ABU DHABI, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) has honoured 130 winners of the second edition of “HCT Skills 2026”, which attracted more than 800 students competing in 39 applied and specialised skills across seven academic fields.
Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chancellor of HCT, praised the students’ performance and competencies, saying the competition highlighted the importance of investing in young Emirati talent and providing an educational environment that prepares them for future economic requirements.
He said rapid changes in jobs and labour-market skills underline the importance of education that combines academic knowledge with practical application and enables students to respond confidently and effectively to professional challenges.
The competition, held across HCT campuses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, recorded participation growth of around 60 percent compared with its inaugural edition in 2025, rising from more than 500 students to over 800. The number of skills also increased from 37 to 39.
Faisal Alayyan, President and CEO of HCT, said the competition forms part of efforts to enrich students’ educational experience by giving them practical opportunities to assess and develop their abilities.
He added that competition results also provide indicators that can be used to evaluate learning outcomes and further align academic programmes with labour-market requirements.
The seven academic fields covered engineering technology and science, computer information science, business, health sciences, applied media, education and general academic requirements.
Competitions included cybersecurity, application development, robotics, advanced manufacturing, aircraft and drone maintenance, digital design and marketing, health sciences, communication and artificial intelligence.
Participants were assessed by experts and judges from HCT and partner institutions using criteria adopted by Emirates Skills and WorldSkills, taking into account the practical requirements of each discipline.
The closing ceremony honoured 130 winning students, with Alayyan presenting certificates in the presence of HCT leaders, faculty members, partners, sponsors and participating students.
HCT also recognised seven supporting partners from the industrial, technology and education sectors: Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, EDGE Group, McGraw Hill, Grapheast, Tekvion Technology, Vertix Holding and TecBrix.
Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement, said developing advanced sectors begins with preparing national talent capable of shaping and leading them.
Sana AlDaoumi, Chief People and Organisation Effectiveness Officer at EDGE Group, said investing in Emirati talent supports the UAE’s vision for a diversified, knowledge-based economy driven by innovation, technology and education.