With young professionals comprising more than a third of its workforce, EWEC is actively transforming youth aspirations into advanced technical leadership across the water and energy sector
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), a leading company in the integrated planning, purchasing, supply, and system despatch of water and electricity across the UAE, today marked International Youth Day 2026 by highlighting the strategic importance of empowering young professionals to drive the nation’s transition to a highly resilient, decarbonised water and energy sector.
Celebrated this year under the global theme ‘Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’, International Youth Day recognises that while young people's lives are shaped by diverse realities, their fundamental desires for quality education, decent work, and a sustainable future are universal. As the nation advances its renewable and clean energy transition, the UAE Government forecasts that the implementation of the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy will generate 200,000 job opportunities across the solar, battery, and hydrogen sub-sectors. To ensure the utilities sector possesses the technical capabilities required for this national transformation, EWEC is proactively developing the expertise and leadership potential of its young professionals, equipping them to manage complex, technology-enabled infrastructure.
Dr. Faisal Obaid, Chief Corporate Support Officer of EWEC, said: "The implementation of the UAE’s energy transition relies as much on human ingenuity and advanced technical expertise as it does on utility-scale infrastructure. This year’s theme reminds us that young people everywhere share a universal drive to contribute to a sustainable future. At EWEC, our focus is on cultivating our young talent by providing them with the specialised capabilities and strategic foresight needed to operate increasingly sophisticated water and electricity systems. By investing heavily in the continuous upskilling of our workforce, we are ensuring that their technical leadership directly supports the successful realisation of the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy."
To facilitate this professional growth, EWEC’s youth development strategy provides young talent with diverse pathways for advancement. With young professionals under the age of 35 comprising over a third of EWEC’s workforce, the company offers structured leadership development programmes, hands-on project experience, and specialised technical training in renewable energy integration, low-carbon-intensive water solutions, and digital transformation. These strategic investments prepare the next generation of sector leaders to navigate an increasingly complex energy landscape and drive sustained operational excellence.
As EWEC equips its young professionals with advanced expertise, the company is concurrently commissioning the development of world-leading utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage projects. By rapidly scaling solar capacity to a forecasted 15.5 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and more than 35GW by 2035, alongside gigascale battery storage systems, EWEC is fundamentally redesigning Abu Dhabi's generation portfolio. It is within this unprecedented infrastructure expansion that EWEC's young talent will apply their leadership, deploying the advanced technologies that will define a sustainable, net-zero future.
EWEC's dedication to empowering youth underscores its long-term strategic vision for a resilient and sustainable future. As the nation accelerates its path toward net zero, the active participation of skilled, future-ready young professionals will remain essential to securing sustainable development and long-term water and energy security for all.
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About Emirates Water and Electricity Company
EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company) is the sole procurer and supplier of water and electricity in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. EWEC drives the planning, forecasting, purchasing, and system despatch services of water and electricity. EWEC fulfils these vital responsibilities through the short-term and long-term balancing of bulk supply and demand for distribution companies and authorities in Abu Dhabi and other Emirates. EWEC is supporting the government of Abu Dhabi and the government of the UAE by enabling the reduction of cost whilst also providing the increased security of supply that comes from a cleaner, larger, and more integrated system.
EWEC is mandated to implement strategic initiatives that will achieve the 60 per cent clean energy target outlined in the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's (DoE) Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 for Electricity Production in Abu Dhabi, in addition to enabling the achievement of UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, UAE Energy Strategy by 2050, and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. EWEC is accelerating Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s energy transition by diversifying the country’s energy mix through developing and deploying renewable and clean energy as well as low-carbon intensive water desalination capacities. EWEC is part of ADQ, an active sovereign investor focusing on critical infrastructure and global supply chains. For more information, please visit: www.ewec.ae.
